4. \( y=7 x-3 \)

Did you know that linear equations like \( y = 7x - 3 \) represent straight lines when graphed on a coordinate plane? The number 7 is the slope, indicating how steep the line is, and the -3 is the y-intercept, the point where the line crosses the y-axis. It's like drawing a road that rises seven units vertically for every one unit it moves horizontally! Now, if you were to tackle a word problem involving this equation, say predicting expenses related to the growth of a service business, just plug in the value of \( x \) (perhaps the number of services provided) into the equation to find \( y \) (your total costs). Remember: careful placement of numbers can help you steer clear of any calculation blunders!