Scatter plots and line of best fit

Front

What is a scatter plot?

Back

A scatter plot is a graph that shows the relationship between two quantitative variables by displaying data points on a two-dimensional axis.

Front

What does the line of best fit represent in a scatter plot?

Back

The line of best fit represents the trend of the data points in a scatter plot, indicating the general direction of the relationship between the variables.

Front

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

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 based on the data points.

Front

What is the slope in the equation of a line?

Back

The slope indicates the rate of change of the dependent variable (y) with respect to the independent variable (x). A positive slope means an increase, while a negative slope means a decrease.

Front

What does a negative correlation indicate in a scatter plot?

Back

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

Front

What does a positive correlation indicate in a scatter plot?

Back

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

Front

What does no correlation mean in a scatter plot?

Back

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

Front

What is the formula for the line of best fit in slope-intercept form?

Back

The formula is y = mx + b, where m is the slope and b is the y-intercept.

Front

How can you visually identify the line of best fit on a scatter plot?

Back

The line of best fit can be visually identified as the line that best represents the trend of the data points, minimizing the distance from all points to the line.

Front

What is the y-intercept in the context of a line of best fit?

Back

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