Scatter Plots Flashcard

Front

What is a scatter plot?

Back

A scatter plot is a graphical representation of two variables where each point represents an observation in the dataset, showing the relationship between the variables.

Front

What does a positive correlation in a scatter plot indicate?

Back

A positive correlation indicates that as one variable increases, the other variable also tends to increase.

Front

What does a negative correlation in a scatter plot indicate?

Back

A negative correlation indicates that as one variable increases, the other variable tends to decrease.

Front

What does it mean if there is no correlation in a scatter plot?

Back

No correlation means that there is no discernible relationship between the two variables; changes in one variable do not predict changes in the other.

Front

How can you determine the equation of a line of best fit from a scatter plot?

Back

The equation of a line of best fit can be determined using statistical methods such as linear regression, which calculates the slope and y-intercept that minimize the distance between the points and the line.

Front

What is the purpose of using a scatter plot in data analysis?

Back

Scatter plots are used to visually assess the relationship between two quantitative variables, helping to identify trends, correlations, and potential outliers.

Front

What is the significance of the slope in a linear equation derived from a scatter plot?

Back

The slope indicates the rate of change of the dependent variable with respect to the independent variable; a steeper slope indicates a stronger relationship.

Front

What is the y-intercept in a linear equation?

Back

The y-intercept is the value of the dependent variable when the independent variable is zero; it represents the starting point of the line on the y-axis.

Front

How can you estimate a value using a scatter plot?

Back

You can estimate a value by locating the corresponding point on the scatter plot for a given independent variable and reading the value of the dependent variable.

Front

What is the role of outliers in a scatter plot?

Back

Outliers are data points that deviate significantly from the overall pattern of the data; they can affect the slope and y-intercept of the line of best fit.