Equation of Line of Best Fit (Scatter Plots)

Front

What is the equation of a line of best fit?

Back

The equation of a line of best fit is a linear equation that best represents the data points in a scatter plot, minimizing the distance between the points and the line.

Front

What does the slope of a line represent in a scatter plot?

Back

The slope of a line represents the rate of change of the dependent variable (y) with respect to the independent variable (x). It indicates how much y changes for a unit change in x.

Front

What does the y-intercept represent in the equation of a line?

Back

The y-intercept is the value of y when x is 0. It represents the point where the line crosses the y-axis.

Front

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

Back

To determine the equation, visually assess the trend of the data points, then use statistical methods like least squares regression to calculate the best-fitting line.

Front

What is a scatter plot?

Back

A scatter plot is a graph that displays values for typically two variables for a set of data, showing the relationship between them.

Front

What does it mean if the points in a scatter plot are closely clustered around the line of best fit?

Back

If the points are closely clustered around the line, it indicates a strong correlation between the two variables.

Front

What is the difference between positive and negative correlation in a scatter plot?

Back

Positive correlation means that as one variable increases, the other variable also increases. Negative correlation means that as one variable increases, the other variable decreases.

Front

What is the formula for the slope (m) of a line given two points (x1, y1) and (x2, y2)?

Back

The formula for the slope is m = (y2 - y1) / (x2 - x1).

Front

What does it mean if a line of best fit has a slope of 0?

Back

A slope of 0 indicates that there is no relationship between the variables; the line is horizontal.

Front

What is the significance of outliers in a scatter plot?

Back

Outliers are data points that differ significantly from other observations. They can affect the slope and y-intercept of the line of best fit.