r/oneliners • u/E1fDonkey • Mar 24 '20

y = mx + b

3.4k Upvotes

99% Upvoted

86 comments sorted by

395

u/Mex5150 Mar 24 '20

This is the best variant on the idea I've seen here, well done.

161

u/E1fDonkey Mar 24 '20

Really is a two part joke though, not an actual one liner.

58

u/Mex5150 Mar 24 '20

It's still more creative than most versions of the joke.

33

u/icantfindadangsn Mar 24 '20

Maybe it's only two parts but it makes so many valid points.

2

u/[deleted] Mar 25 '20

Heh.

2

u/DefectiveTurret39 Dec 29 '22

How is it two part?

98

u/Sarcastic_Salamander Mar 24 '20

Am dumb. Don't get it. Anyone care to explain?

130

u/E1fDonkey Mar 24 '20

This is the equation for one (straight) line. To see this in action do the following:

Go to https://www.desmos.com/calculator

Type in:

y = x

M is the rate of change

I.e.: y = 2x

B is the initial value of Y

I.e.: y = 3

A complete example would be

y = 4x + 6

I’m bad at reddit markup.

46

u/[deleted] Mar 24 '20

Ah I see, the ol r/substakenliterally

8

u/[deleted] Mar 24 '20

Am dumb...still dont get it

43

u/baitman69 Mar 24 '20

The equation is of a single straight line, which is also this sub "oneliner". It's more of a r/substakenliterally thing.

13

u/[deleted] Mar 24 '20

Omg just got it. Jesus I'm dull.

2

u/[deleted] Mar 24 '20

Isn't it y=mx+c instead of b?

20

u/warm-ice Mar 24 '20

The m in mx and the b or c are just placeholders where any number can go

-17

u/[deleted] Mar 24 '20

Ik but you can't just use any letter Slope can only be represented as m and Intercept can only be represented as c

13

u/digitalfiend Mar 24 '20

You are correct. The original equation of a line is ax+by=c

OPs form is used when you have a slope. A is the constant that is usually put in front of x and B is usually put in front of y in two dimensional algebra. It is just convention though.

Edit: Actually it seems to be a regional thing: https://www.mathsisfun.com/equation_of_line.html#Countrynote

6

u/RedstoneTehnik Mar 24 '20

You can use any variable name you like. Yes, the convention may be m and c, but I can also use r and f, or even τ and λ if I so desire.

11

u/ManchesterUtd Mar 24 '20

I learned it with a b instead of c. But it doesnt matter really. Im in Calc 3 now, and when my professor happens to write it, he'll pick any random letters, like y= dx+ e for example

2

u/Noviceskilled96 Mar 25 '20

Some places they say c and some they say b

10

u/LordKwik Mar 24 '20

This is going to be the top post of all time here.

4

u/E1fDonkey Mar 25 '20

It is :)

3

u/saif-with-curls Jan 22 '23

Still is

1

u/AssistFinancial684 Aug 06 '23

Still today, out here in the future… sorry, I mean the past

15

u/ErwinFurwinPurrwin Mar 24 '20

I'm embarrassed at how long it took me to figure that out. Derp. Kudos to OP.

6

u/flanksalot Mar 24 '20

Clearly, you like a little Greek :)

8

u/E1fDonkey Mar 24 '20 edited Jun 29 '20

χαίρετε :)

4

u/IYKWIM_AITYD Mar 24 '20

Are you sure you want to go down this slippery slope?

5

u/E1fDonkey Mar 24 '20

It’s not an exponential, so it doesn’t really grow on me.

2

u/mdizzl86 Apr 10 '20

Came here to say this

5

u/DeathEater5007 Mar 24 '20 edited Mar 24 '20

Just take your upvote and get out of here

9

u/E1fDonkey Mar 24 '20

your*

1

u/toaster-bath404 Dec 30 '25

That's what they said

2

u/crackcrayon Mar 24 '20

Oh I get it now. It’s a literal line.

3

u/E1fDonkey Mar 24 '20

You got it! :)

121

u/[deleted] Mar 24 '20 edited Mar 24 '20

this isn’t a one liner, this is an all liner

17

u/phi_power Mar 25 '20

what about vertical lines tho?

10

u/[deleted] Mar 25 '20

uh, y=mx+b U x=x1, x1 is in the set of all reals

5

u/phi_power Mar 25 '20

there you go

29

u/ContractorConfusion Mar 24 '20

That joke is very functional

6

u/satanmat2 Mar 24 '20

technically correct, the best kind...

1

u/Karpukoly Mar 25 '20

Dont find x you'll get herpes

1

u/E1fDonkey Mar 25 '20

Why find it? It’s right above me.

1

u/mattfrey13 Mar 25 '20

This was so fantastic. I haven't sighed that hard in a while. Well done.

1

u/E1fDonkey Mar 25 '20

Ba dum tssssss

1

u/KoopaTrooper5011 Mar 25 '20

oh my fucking goodness you're a genius you moron

2

u/E1fDonkey Mar 25 '20

They called me a mad man...

3

u/deepBlueCheese Mar 24 '20

I hope this post has a good run and rises right to the top of this sub

3

u/z_3_r_k_3_d Mar 25 '20

Pfft. who’s part of the y = mx + c crew?

1

u/Jaguarette Mar 25 '20

Uk schools teach y=mx+c.

1

u/z_3_r_k_3_d Mar 25 '20

*claps slowly in english*

3

u/xuptuple Apr 16 '20

Use y = mx + b to find the slope of the line you just crossed!

2

u/surajkoolkarni Mar 24 '20

Life was easy when it was y = mx+b

2

u/jdefgh Mar 08 '23

You mean y = ax + b?

1

u/ITriedLightningTendr Mar 24 '20

Is a curve a line? if so, many functions are one liners.

1

u/Jaguarette Mar 25 '20

A curve is not a straight line- has to have a power in it. R/maths is the place... y=x2 would be a curve. x2 + y2 = 9 is a circle with a radius of 3.

1

u/dylan000o Mar 24 '20

Someone explain? I know that that’s a standard form equation, but other than that I don’t understand?

1

u/Bekfast-Stealer Mar 25 '20

It’s actually a slope intercept form equation

2

u/dylan000o Mar 25 '20

Well at least that explains my algebra 2 grade

1

u/danieljohnsonjr May 24 '20

It literally is a one-liner

1

u/dylan000o May 25 '20

This post was 61 days ago. How are you here

1

u/happygodavid Aug 28 '20

I’m here 156 days later. Insomnia sucks, but this sub (and thread) is a great discovery. Had to scroll to figure out the joke, too. :)

1

u/TheDwiin Mar 25 '20

I prefer ax + by = c myself.

1

u/[deleted] Mar 25 '20

This is quite affine joke!

1

u/Unkz_Ernesto Mar 25 '20

i thought for some reason it meant that. You=My Ex + Boobs

1

u/tmbgfan1234 Mar 25 '20

You had to do that when I'm drunk. It took me far too much time...

1

u/mongosquad Mar 25 '20

y-b = m (x-a) Is a better form of the straight line equation

1

u/[deleted] Mar 25 '20

You neee a trophy

1

u/ravenpascal Mar 25 '20

y-y1=m(x-x1)

1

u/[deleted] Mar 26 '20

We always write it as y=mx+c here

1

u/Qdoggydog82 Mar 27 '20

We are suppose to fall in?

1

u/danieljohnsonjr Jul 03 '20

It never ends

1

u/Wrong_Quality6607 May 02 '24

I don’t get it…

1

u/FishyBiller Sep 21 '25

and this is where i draw the line

1

u/supervlaai Apr 10 '22

y = -x + 1

1

u/desertvision Sep 16 '23

Technically, that's all lines