Scatterplots and Trendlines

Front

What is a scatterplot?

Back

A scatterplot is a graph that displays values for typically two variables for a set of data. Each point represents an observation.

Front

What does a line of best fit represent in a scatterplot?

Back

The line of best fit represents the trend in the data, showing the general direction that the data points follow.

Front

How do you determine the line of best fit?

Back

The line of best fit can be determined using methods such as least squares regression, which minimizes the distance between the line and all data points.

Front

What is correlation in the context of scatterplots?

Back

Correlation refers to the relationship between two variables, indicating how one may change in relation to the other.

Front

What does a positive correlation look like on a scatterplot?

Back

A positive correlation is indicated by points that trend upwards from left to right, suggesting that as one variable increases, the other also increases.

Front

What does a negative correlation look like on a scatterplot?

Back

A negative correlation is indicated by points that trend downwards from left to right, suggesting that as one variable increases, the other decreases.

Front

What does no correlation mean in a scatterplot?

Back

No correlation means there is no discernible relationship between the two variables, and the points appear scattered without any trend.

Front

What is the purpose of using a line of best fit?

Back

The purpose of using a line of best fit is to make predictions about one variable based on the value of another variable.

Front

How can you use a scatterplot to make predictions?

Back

You can use a scatterplot to make predictions by extending the line of best fit to estimate values for the dependent variable based on known values of the independent variable.

Front

What is the difference between a line of best fit and a connecting line?

Back

A line of best fit summarizes the trend in the data, while a connecting line simply connects the data points without considering the overall trend.