the program, as written, is for a family of straight lines , with the slopes being a simple linear function of the

second independent variable, and it includes the option of also "looking at " a log function of the second variable. if the family of curves is obviously not a series of straight lines , the program MULTSLOPE can readily modified, following the procedure outlined in the preceding section (p. 31), with a function to account for the curvature. if the relationship among the family of curves is also obviously not linear (e.g.,if the second parameter varies to powers of ten), the program can be easily modified to use a more suittable function of the second parameter . " to meet the author see p.38. A family of lines. it is quiet common to have a situation in which data produce a series of curves that are of similar shape but are separated from each other by straight lines, as illustrated in FIg.1, they ca be expressed by an equation: Y=b0 + s.X1 where s is the regression (or slope) of Y upon X1 . In Fig.1, the slope of the lines increases as x2 goes from case 1 to case 4. if the slope of a linear function of the second variable, it may be expressed as: S=b1 + b2.X2

these two equations may be combined to yield an overall correlation equation: Y=b0 + b1.X1 + b2.X1.X2 handles the data input and calculates the sum, sums of squares and sums of cross products of Y and X , r. also calculates value at X1.X2 for the second term in the final equation . it calls on sub

comments subroutine 1. for the calculation of the sums for the second term the routine is used twice if two functions of X2 are used

subroutine 2 : establishes the second function of X 2 if it is required and calculates X1.F(X2) to give the second term of the second correlating equation. the function of X2 can be changed at line 40 . as written the program yields nLog(X2) as the second function

routine B: permits a check of EY,EX1,EX2 and N (the number of datasets) before proceeding with the main calculation. (continued)

routine D: provides for deleting data. it uses subroutine 5 to subtract values from the various sums.