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Graphing Calculator Activity for use with Lesson 2.5

ACTIVITY 2.5
Using Technology Using Linear Regression
Many graphing calculators have a linear regression feature that can be used to
find the best-fitting line for a set of data.

 EXAMPLE
The table gives the price p (in cents) of a first-class stamp over time where t is the
number of years since 1970. Use the linear regression feature of a graphing calculator
to find an equation of the best-fitting line for the data.

t 1 4 5 8 11 11 15 18 21 25 29
p 8 10 13 15 18 20 22 25 29 32 33

STUDENT HELP
NE
ER T
 SOLUTION
KEYSTROKE
INT

1 Use the Stat Edit feature to enter the 2 Find an equation of the best-fitting
HELP
See keystrokes for data into two lists such as L1 and L2. line by using the Stat Calc feature.
several models of Enter the years since 1970 in L1 and The linear regression equation can
calculators at the prices in L2. be rounded to p = 0.947t + 7.71.
www.mcdougallittell.com
L1 L2 L3 LinReg
1 8 y=ax+b
4 10 a=.9470917226
5 13 b=7.711856823
8 15 r=.9907173578
11 18
L1(1)=1

3 To see that the data have a positive 4 Graph the regression equation in an
correlation, graph the data pairs. To appropriate viewing window. The
do this, make a scatter plot using graph shows that the line fits the
the Stat Plot feature. data well.

Plot1 Plot2 Plot3

On Off
Type:

XList:L1
YList:L2
Mark:

 EXERCISES
Use a graphing calculator to find and graph an equation of the best-fitting line.

1. x 50 75 80 100 150 175 210 250 260 320

y 0.3 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.75 0.85 1.05 0.9 1.1 1.15

2. x 4 7 8.5 10 11 14 15 16 18 19
y 150 450 600 600 900 1100 1250 1400 1400 1650

2.5 Technology Activity 107