Given
y=0.5x - 2 compare it with general eq. of line which is y=mx + c here m is the slope which by comparison with given equation is 0.5 m= 0.5
As, slope(m=0.5) is positive so line goes upward.
key points:
-slope is positive line goes upward
-slope is negative line goes downward
-slope is zero line is horizontal