1. The problem asks: In the equation of a straight line given by the gradient form $y = mx + c$, what does the constant $c$ represent? 2. The formula is $y = mx + c$, where: - $m$ is the gradient (slope) of the line. - $c$ is the y-intercept. 3. The y-intercept $c$ is the point where the line crosses the y-axis. This happens when $x = 0$. 4. To find $c$, set $x = 0$ in the equation: $$y = m \times 0 + c = c$$ 5. Therefore, $c$ is the value of $y$ when $x = 0$, meaning it is the y-coordinate of the point where the line intersects the y-axis. 6. In simple terms, $c$ tells you where the line hits the vertical axis on a graph.