In order to find the value of b in the slope-intercept formula, which step is NOT necessary?

In the context of the slope-intercept form of a linear equation, which is typically expressed as ( y = mx + b ), the goal is to isolate ( b ) to find its value in relation to ( x ) and ( y ).

To determine the value of ( b ), one must first manipulate the equation to remove ( mx ) from the equation. This is typically done by moving ( mx ) from the right side to the left, which effectively means adding ( mx ) to both sides of the equation. This process allows you to re-arrange the terms so that ( b ) can be clearly identified.

Once ( mx ) has been added to both sides, the next step is to isolate ( b ) by ensuring it stands alone on one side of the equation, thus confirming that moving ( mx ) to the left is necessary.

In contrast, dividing both sides by ( b ) does not contribute to finding its value in this context and is irrelevant to the process of rearranging or isolating terms in the equation. Such an operation would create complications and does not provide any benefit to determining the value of ( b ). Therefore, recognizing this step as unnecessary helps streamline