text: what does the "m" in the slope formula(y=mx+b) mean? or what is the meaning of "m" in math terms i need to know that the "m" means in the slope formula(y=mx+b) mean?. what is the meaning of "m" in math terms. the name of the letter, and why they chose to put "m" insted of any other letter in the alphabet. m is the slope. rise over run. from your point go up and over to the next point. the up is the rise and the over is the run. put it in a fraction and divide. m=rise/run