Chapter 5. Scatterplots

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Chapter 5: Scatterplots
(Introductory Statistics for the Behavioral and Health Sciences © James M. Wood 2020)
The chapters after this one describe correlation and regression,

which are very important statistical techniques. As preparation,
the present chapter will explain how numbers can be represented
as points or lines on graphs called scatterplots.
You may have already learned about these kinds of graphs in high
school algebra, when you studied "analytical geometry" or
"graphing on the coordinate plane." If you studied these topics in
high school, the present chapter will refresh your memory and add
some new ideas. On the other hand, if you have not studied
analytical geometry before, you might want to watch one or more
of these YouTube videos before reading the present chapter.
Algebra Basics: Graphing On The Coordinate Plane (Math Antics)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Uc62CuQjc4
Coordinate Plane and Plotting Points

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r16I6LB2YbQ
Plotting Points on the Coordinate Plane (Mathispower4u)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s7NKLWXkEEE
Introduction to the Coordinate Plane (Khan Academy)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAlq9fFwtus
Graphing in Algebra: Ordered Pairs and the Coordinate Plane

(Professor Dave Explains)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntzgiu7Ta0s
The Coordinate Plane (Anywhere Math)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ieJLOfxdjU
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Section 1. Introduction to scatterplots
Let's start with Table 1a below, which shows the ages of six
children and their grade in school (1st grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade,
etc.).
Table 1a. Ages and Grade Levels of Six Children.
Child Age (x) Grade (y)
Michael 6 1
Ana 10 5
Jesus 8 3
David 9 1
Katia 7 2
Sofia 9 4
The first child in the table is Michael. His age is six and he's in
grade 1. His age and grade can be represented as an ordered pair
of numbers: (6, 1). The first number in this ordered pair is
Michael's age (6). This number is called the "x-variable" or just
"x." The second number in the ordered pair is Michael's grade in
school (1). This number is the "y-variable" or just "y." Figure 1
presents this ordered pair on a graph called a scatterplot.
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Figure 1b. Scatterplot showing Michael's Age and Grade.
Grade (y) 3
(6, 1)
1
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Origin
Age (x)
The red point in this scatterplot represents the ordered pair for
Michael, (6, 1). When we draw this point, we say we are "plotting
the point" for Michael.
The position of the red point on the scatterplot tells us Michael's

age and grade. The horizontal line at the bottom of the scatterplot
is called the x-axis. In this scatterplot, the x-axis is a number line
that represents the x-variable "Age." If you follow the red arrow
downward from Michael's point, you can see that his point lies
above the number "6" on the x-axis, indicating that Michael's age
is 6. We say that the point's "x-coordinate" is 6.
The vertical line at the left of the scatterplot is called the y-axis.
The y-axis is also a number line. It represents the y-variable
"Grade." If you follow the blue arrow sideways from Michael's
point, you can see that his point is positioned sideways from the
number "1" on the y-axis, indicating that Michael is in Grade 1.
We say that the point's "y-coordinate" is 1.
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The x-axis and the y-axis meet at the lower left corner of the
scatterplot. The point where the axes meet is called the origin.
The x-coordinate of the origin is always "0" and the y-coordinate is
also "0." The origin can be represented as the ordered pair (0, 0).
Here are the essential points about plotting a point on a scatterplot:
(1) We begin with an ordered pair of numbers for a particular

person. In this example, the person is Michael and the ordered pair
is (6, 1). The two numbers in an ordered pair are enclosed in
parentheses and separated from each other by a comma.
(2) The first number in the ordered pair indicates the person's value
on the x-variable or x. In this example, the x-variable is "Age" and
Michael's value is 6.
(3) The second number in the ordered pair indicates the person's
value on the y-variable or y. In this example, the y-variable is
"Grade" and Michael's value is 1.
(4) The ordered pair can be drawn as a point on a type of graph

called a scatterplot. Each point on a scatterplot represents a single
person. (Note: When we draw a point on a scatterplot, we say we
are "plotting the point.")
(5) A scatterplot has two axes. The horizontal axis at the bottom is
called the x-axis. The vertical axis at the left is called the y-axis.
(Note: Singular form = "axis." Plural form = "axes.")
(6) The position of a point on the scatterplot tells us a person's

values on the x- and y-variables. By looking downward from the
point to the x-axis, we can see the person's value on the x-variable,
which is called the "x-coordinate." By looking sideways from the
point to the y-axis, we can see the person's value on the y-variable,
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which is called the "y-coordinate." In this example, when we look

downward from Michael's point to the x-axis, we see that the
point's x-coordinate is 6 and therefore Michael's age is 6. When
we look sideways from the point to the y-axis, we see that the
point's y-coordinate is 1 and therefore Michael's grade is 1.
(7) The x-axis and y-axis meet at the origin, where the x-variable
and y-variable are both 0.
(8) Scatterplots do not usually show arrows going from a point to

its x- and y-coordinates. However, in this chapter arrows will
sometimes be added to scatterplots as a learning aid.
Now that you understand how ordered pairs are plotted on a

scatterplot, let's try it again. Figure 1c shows a scatterplot with a
red dot that represents another child in Table 1a.
Figure 1c. Scatterplot showing a child in Table 1a.
Grade (y) 3
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Age (x)
6
We do not know yet which child is represented by the red dot in

Figure 1c, but we can figure it out. First, if we look downward
from the dot, we can see that its x-coordinate is 9. Therefore, the
child is 9 years old. Second, if we look sideways from the dot, we
can see that its y-coordinate is 4. Therefore the child is in Grade 4.
Third, now that we know the child is 9 years old and in Grade 4,
take a look at Table 1 and figure out which child it is. [Hint: Her
name begins with "S"]
Now it's your turn to practice plotting a point on a scatter point.

Figure 1d on the next page is a blank scatterplot. Use the numbers
in Table 1a to plot a point representing Katrina on the scatterplot.
Here's how to plot the point for Katia:
(1) Write down an ordered pair that represents

Katia's Age (x) and Grade (y).
(2) Make a drawing of a scatterplot that looks like Figure 1d.
(3) Plot the ordered pair for Katia on the scatterplot.
After you have carried out these three steps, continue reading this
chapter.
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Figure 1d. Blank Scatterplot. Please Plot the Point for Katia.
Grade (y) 3
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Age (x)
After you have plotted the point for Katia, look at Figure 1e on the
next page to check your work. The ordered pair for Katia is (7, 2),
so the x-coordinate for Katia's point on the scatterplot will be 7 and
the y-coordinate will be 2. To plot the point, do the following
steps:
(a) First find 7 (Katia's x-coordinate) on the x-axis of the

scatterplot. Katia's point should be directly above the 7. If you
like, you can draw an arrow pointing upward from 7 (like the red
arrow in Figure 1e).
(b) Next find 2 (Katia's y-coordinate) on the y-axis of the

scatterplot. Katia's point should be directly sideways from the 2. If
you like, you can draw an arrow pointing sideways from 2 (like the
blue arrow in Figure 1e).
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(c) Plot the point for Katia at the spot indicated by the two arrows.
It is above the 7 (on the x-axis) and sideways from the 2 (on the y-
axis). The point's coordinates are 7 and 2.
Figure 1e. Scatterplot showing Katia as a point.
Grade (y) 3
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Age (x)
Each of the scatterplots presented so far has included only a single
point representing a single child. However, scatterplots usually
contain many points, with each point representing a different
person. For example, the scatterplot in Figure 1f below includes
all the children in Table 1.
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Figure 1f. Scatterplot showing all children in Table 1a.
Grade (y) 3
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Age (x)
Figure 1f shows two reasons why scatterplots can be useful. First,
when numbers are plotted on a scatterplot, they may show a
general pattern. In Figure 1f, the pattern is one you already know
about: In general, as children's age increases by one year, their
grade in school also increases by one.
A second reason why scatterplots are important is that they can

reveal individuals who do not follow the general pattern.
Statisticians call such individuals outliers. Do you see the outlier
in Figure 1f? What is the name of this child (look at Table 1a to
find his name)? Can you think of a reason that might explain why
this child does not follow the general pattern?
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Homework Exercises for Section 1
1. Four points are plotted in the scatterplot below.

Fill in the blanks for the coordinates of each point.
A ( 8, ____ ) B ( ____ , 2 )
C ( ____ , 4 ) D ( 6, ____ )
4 C
y 3 A
2 B
1 D
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
x
2, In a scatterplot....
....the horizontal axis at the bottom is called the _____-axis.
The vertical axis at the left is called the ________-axis.
(fill in the blanks)
3. The place where the two axes meet

is called the _____________________ (fill in the blank)
Homework exercises continue on the next page.

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4. Plot the following six points on the scatterplot below. Write the
letter of each point beside the point.
J (2, 5) K (4, 4 ) L (6, 3)
M (8, 5) N (8, 2 ) O (10, 1)
y 3
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
5. One of the points in Exercise 6 is an outlier. What are the

coordinates of this point?
6. What are the coordinates of the origin of a scatterplot?

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Section 2. Lines on Scatterplots: Slope and Intercept
Figure 2a is a scatterplot showing data from 24 people who own

dogs or cats. Each red dot represents one person. The
x-coordinate of a dot indicates how many pets that person owns.
The y-coordinate indicates how many trips that person made to the
veterinarian's office during the past year. One of the red dots
represents a man with 8 pets who made 5 trips to the vet during the
past year. Which dot is it?
Figure 2a. Scatterplot: Relationship of No. of Pets

to No. of Trips to Veterinarian
No. of 5
Trips to 4
Vet
3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
No. of Pets
As you can see, the red dots in the scatterplot in Figure 2a follow a
pattern: People who own more pets make more trips to the vet. In
fact, it is possible to draw a line that shows the pattern. The next
scatterplot, in Figure 2b, shows this line.
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Figure 2b. Scatterplot: Relationship of No. of Pets

to No. of Trips to Veterinarian.
Including Positive Z-Equal Line.
No. of 5
Trips to 4
Vet
3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
No. of Pets
The blue line in this scatterplot is called the Positive z-Equal Line.
You will learn more about this line later in this chapter. The
Positive Z-Equal Line shows the general pattern of the dots in this
scatterplot. Although the dots don't lie exactly on top of the line,
the line is useful because it helps us to see the dots' general pattern.
The blue line in Figure 2b has a y-intercept and a slope. The y-

intercept is 2 and the slope is .50. Let's see where these numbers
come from.
Let's begin with the y-intercept. Figure 2c on the next pages shows
the same line that Figure 2b does, but the red dots have been erased
so we can focus on the line. The red arrow in Figure 2c points to
the y-intercept.
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Figure 2c. Scatterplot: Relationship of No. of Pets

87
No. of 5
Trips to 4
Vet
3
2
Intercept = 2
1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
No. of Pets
As you can see, the blue line meets the y-axis (the vertical axis) at
a point. The point's y-coordinate is 2. Thus, the y-intercept of the
line is 2.
Definition: The y-intercept of a line is the y-coordinate of the

point where the line meets the y-axis. Sometimes we will refer to
it as simply the "intercept" rather than the "y-intercept."
Notice that the x-coordinate of this point must be 0 (zero), because

the point is on the y-axis and all points on this axis have an
x-coordinate of 0. So in Figure 2c, the coordinates of the point
where the blue line meets the y-axis are (0, 2).
Now that we have explained the y-intercept of the blue line, let's
explain its slope. Here's the definition of a line's slope:
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Definition: Slope = rise/run
To understand this definition, look at the scatterplot in Figure 2d

below, which shows the same blue line as in the previous
scatterplot. Two blue points have been marked on the line. The
coordinates of these points are (2, 3) and (10, 7). These two blue
points do not represent two pet owners. Instead, these blue points
are simply geometric points on the line.
Figure 2d. Scatterplot: Relationship of No. of Pets

8
(10, 7)
7
6
rise = 4
No. of 5
Trips to 4
(2, 3)
Vet
3
2
run = 8
1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
No. of Pets
Imagine an ant walks up the blue line from left to right, from the
point (2, 3) to the point (10, 7). When the ant makes this trip, the
distance it travels horizontally (that is, sideways) is equal to 8, as
shown by the red arrow. This horizontal distance between the two
points is called the run. The distance the ant travels vertically (that
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is, upward) is equal to 4, as shown by the green arrow. This

vertical distance between the two points is called the rise.
Now that we know the run and the rise, it is easy to calculate the
line's slope using the definition above:
Slope = rise/run = 4/8 = ½ = .50
We can use any two points on a line to find its slope. Figure 2e
shows the same blue line that Figure 2f does, but two different
points on the line are marked: (6, 5) and (8, 6).
Figure 2f. Scatterplot: Relationship of No. of Pets

7
(8, 6)
6
(6, 5) rise = 1
No. of 5
Trips to 4
run = 2
Vet
3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
No. of Pets
Imagine an ant walks up the blue line from left to right, from the
point (6, 5) to the point (8, 6). The distance the ant travels
horizontally is 2 (= run). The distance it travels vertically is 1
(= rise). We can plug these numbers into the formula for the slope:
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Slope = rise/run = ½ = .50
As you can see, even though we have used two completely

different points, we end up with the same slope (½ or .50) that we
did before. In fact, we can use any two points on the line and we
will always end up with the same slope. The rise and the run may
change, but the slope is always the same. It's important to
remember that the slope of the line is always computed by going
from the left-hand point to the right-hand point. Put another way,
when we calculate the horizontal and vertical distances travelled
by the ant, the ant must always start at the point on the left and
then walk along the line to the point on the right.
Let's try one more example, which is shown in Figure 2f. The
scatterplot in Figure 2f is an entirely new line. The names of the
variables have changed too: The variable on the x-axis is simply
called "x" and the variable on the y-axis is called "y."
Before continuing, look at the graph and answer the following two
questions:
(1) What is the y-intercept for the blue line?
(2) What is the x-coordinate of the point where the blue line
crosses the y-axis?
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Figure 2e. Scatterplot: A New Line.
7
(3, 7)
6
y
5
(9, 5)
4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
x
Here are the answers to the two questions:
1. The y-intercept is 8, because the line crosses the y-axis at 8.
2. The x-coordinate of the point where the blue line crosses the
y-axis is 0, because all points on the y-axis have an x-coordinate
of 0.
Now let's figure out the slope of the line. If our trusty ant walks
from the point (3, 7) to the point (9, 5), the distance it travels
horizontally is 6. This is the run. We can figure this out because
the ant starts above the number 3 on the x-axis and ends above the
number 9, so the horizontal distance the ant travels is 9 – 3 = 6.
The distance the ant travels vertically is -2. This is the rise. The
rise is negative because the ant is travelling downward. It starts at
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the same level as the number 7 on the y-axis and ends at the level
of the number 5, so the distance it travels is 5 – 7 = -2.
So the run is 6 and the rise is -2. We can now plug these numbers
into the formula for the slope:
Slope = rise/run = (-2)/6 = - 1/3 = -.3333....
As this example shows, the slope of a line can be either positive or

negative. If the line goes up from left to right, then the rise and the
slope are both positive. If the line goes down from left to right,
then the rise and the slope are both negative.
1. A line is drawn on a scatterplot. The y-coordinate of the point

where the line meets the y-axis is called the line's.....
__________________________. (fill in the blank)
2. To find the slope of a line, divide the rise by the
__________________________. (fill in the blank)
3. A line is drawn on a scatterplot. An ant starts at the line's left

side and walks along the line toward the right. Will the ant get
more tired if the line has a positive slope or if the line has a
negative slope?

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4. A blue line is drawn on the scatterplot below. The coordinates

are shown for two points on the line.
(a) What is the line's intercept?
(b) What is the rise of the line between the two points?
(c) What is the run of the line between the two points?
(d) What is the slope of the line?
y
5
4
(8, 4)
3
2
(4, 3)
1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
x
5. The following two points are on a line:
(25, 6) (45, 8)
(a) What is the rise of the line between the two points?
(b) What is the run of the line between the two points?
(c) What is the slope of the line?

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6. A line is drawn on a scatterplot. An ant starts at the line's left

side and walks along the line toward the right. Will the ant get
more tired if the line's slope is .25 or .75?
7. A blue line is drawn on the scatterplot below. The coordinates

are shown for two points on the line.
(a) What is the line's intercept?
(b) What is the rise of the line between the two points?
(c) What is the run of the line between the two points?
(d) What is the slope of the line?
y
5
3
(4, 4)
2
1
(8, 1)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
x
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Section 3. The Equation for a Line
Any line that we draw on a scatterplot can be expressed as an

equation. The scatterplot below in Figure 3a is the same one that
was presented earlier in Figure 2d. As you recall, we calculated
that the slope of the blue line is ½ or .50. The intercept is 2.

8
(10, 7)
7
6
rise = 4
No. of 5
Trips to 4
Vet (2, 3)
3
2
run = 8
1 slope = rise/run = 4/8 = ½ or .50
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
No. of Pets
Here is the formula for the blue line in Figure 3a:
y = .5*x + 2
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This equation tells us that we can find the y-coordinate of every

point on the line if we (a) multiply the point's x-coordinate by .5
and then (b) add 2. Every point on the line fits this equation. If a
point does not fit this equation, the point is not on the line.
Figure 3a shows that the point (2, 3) is on the blue line. Let's see if
this point fits with the equation. If the x-coordinate is 2, the
equation tells us that y-coordinate should be:
y = .5*x + 2
= .5*2 + 2
=1+2
=3
So the equation works. It tells us that the point (2, 3) fits the
equation. Because the point fits the equation, it is on the line.
Let's try it again. According to Figure 3a, the point (4, 4) is on the
line. Let's see if this point fits with the equation. If the x-
coordinate is 4, the equation tells us that the y-coordinate should
be:
y = .5*x + 2
= .5*4 + 2
=2+2
=4
So the equation has worked again. It tells us that the point (4, 4)
fits with the equation and is on the line.
Now here's a tougher question: Is the point (20, 12) on the line?
This question is tough because Figure 3a does not show this point.
But we can answer the question anyway using the approach we
have just been following. If the x-coordinate is 20, the equation
tells us that the y coordinate should be:
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y = .5*x + 2
= .5*20 + 2
= 10 + 2
= 12
The point (20, 12) fits the equation, so it must be on the line, even
though Figure 3a doesn't actually show this point.
Let's try it again: Is the point (30, 18) on the line?
y = .5*x + 2
= .5*30 + 2
= 15 + 2
= 17
Uh-oh. The equation tells us that if x is 30, then y must be 17.

The point (30, 17) fits the equation and must be on the line, but the
point (30, 18) does not fit the equation and therefore is not on the
line.
Let's try it one final time: Is the point (-10, 3) on the line? This
point is different from all the other points you have seen before
because its x-coordinate is negative. But points can have negative
coordinates. Let's see if this one fits with the equation.
y = .5*x + 2
= .5*(-10) + 2
= -5 + 2
=3
The point fits with the equation. Therefore, even though the point
isn't shown in Figure 3a and even though one of the point's
coordinates is negative, the point must be on the line.
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1. The equation of a line is y = .4*x + 7

Indicate whether or not the following points
are on the line by circling Yes or No.
(a) (10, 11) Yes/ No (b) (10, 13) Yes/No
(c) (-30, -25) Yes/No (d) (-30, -5) Yes/No
2. The equation of the line in Exercise 1 is y = .4*x + 7

(a) What is the value of y when x = 0?
(b) What is the intercept of the line y = .4*x + 7
26
Section 4. Finding the Equation for a Line
In the preceding section you learned that every line has an

equation. In the present section, you will learn how to find the
equation of a line. We will begin with Figure 4a below, which is
exactly the same as Figure 3a in the previous section.

8
(10, 7)
7
6
rise = 4
No. of 5
Trips to 4
Vet (2, 3)
3
2
run = 8
1 slope = rise/run = 4/8 = ½ or .50
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
No. of Pets
As discussed in Section 3, the blue line in Figure 4a has an

intercept of 2 and a slope of .50. Its equation is: y = .50x + 2.
Notice that, in this equation, y is found by (a) multiplying x by the
slope of the line (.50) and then (b) adding the intercept (2). In other
words: y = slope*x + intercept
27
In fact, the equation of all lines follow this same pattern, which is
called the General Formula for a Line:
General Formula for a Line, No. 1: y = slope*x + intercept
In high school algebra, you may have learned that the slope of a
line is represented by the symbol "m", and that the intercept is
represented by the symbol "b". So the General Formula can also
be represented like this:
General Formula for a Line, No. 2: y = m*x + b
The general formula can be used to find the equation of any line.
For instance, consider the line shown in Figure 4a below (which is
the same as Figure 2e, which you saw earlier).
Figure 4b. Scatterplot: A New Line.
7
(3, 7)
6
y
5
(9, 5)
4
1
slope = -1/3 or -.3333...
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
x
28
As discussed in section 2, the slope of this line is -1/3 and its

intercept is 8. To find the equation of the line, we simply plug its
slope (m) and intercept (b) into the General Equation for a Line:
General Equation: y = m*x + b
Equation for This Line: y = -1/3*x + 8
Let's see if this equation works for the two points shown on the
line in Figure 4a. First, let's try the point (3, 7).
y = -1/3*x + 8
= -1/3*(3) + 8
= -1 + 8
=7
So the point (3, 7) fits the equation and lies on the line.
Next, let's try the point (9, 5)

y = -1/3*x + 8
= -1/3*(9) + 8
= -3 + 8
=5
So the point (9, 5) also fits the equation and lies on the line.
In the examples just given we used a diagram to find a line's slope

and intercept, and then we used the slope and intercept to find the
line's equation. However, we can find a line's equation even
without a diagram. In fact, we can always find a line's equation as
long as we know two points on the line. There are two steps: First,
find the line's slope. Second, find its intercept. The rest of this
section shows how to do these two steps.
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Step 1: Find the slope
If you know two points on a line, you can easily calculate the run
and rise between the points and then calculate the line's slope. As
an example, let's say we know that the following two points are on
a line: (5, 15) and (8, 21).
(a) We begin by identifying which of these two points lies farther

to the left in the scatterplot. To do this, we simply look at the x-
coordinates of the two points. In our example, the x-coordinate of
(5, 15) is 5, and the x-coordinate of (8, 21) is 8. Because 5 is less
than 8, the point (5, 15) lies farther left than the point (8, 21). We
will call (5, 15) the "left point" and (8, 21) the "right point."
(b) Next we need to calculate the run and the rise between the two
points. To calculate the run, we subtract the x-coordinate of the
left point from the x-coordinate of the right point. To calculate the
rise, we subtract the y-coordinate of the left point from the y-
coordinate of the right point.
Here's an easy way to calculate the run and the rise. Set up the
numbers that represent the points as if you were doing a
subtraction problem, with the right point on top and the left point
underneath it:
(8, 21) right point

- (5, 15)___ left point
Now subtract the x-coordinates of the two points and write the
answer at the bottom of the problem. In this example, 8 – 5 = 3, so
we write 3 at the bottom. This is the run between the two points:
(8, 21) right point

- (5, 15)___left point
3 run between the points
30
Next subtract the y-coordinates of the two points and write the
solution at the bottom of the problem. In this example, 21 – 15 =
6, so we write 6 at the bottom. This is the rise between the two
points:
(8, 21) right point

- (5, 15)___left point
3,6 run and rise between the points
(c) We now know that the run between the two points (the
horizontal distance travelled by the ant) is 3. The rise (the vertical
distance travelled by the ant) is 6. We can now use the run and the
rise to calculate the slope:
Slope = rise/run = 6 / 3 = 2
When calculating the slope, always double check to make sure that
you have divided the rise by the run. It is easy to make a mistake
and accidentally divide the run by the rise.
Step 2: Find the intercept
In step 1 we found that the slope is 2. In step 2 we will calculate

the intercept using this information.
(a) First, we choose either one of the two points that we started
with. Either point will work. Let's choose the point (5, 15).
(b) For the point (5, 15), x = 5 and y = 15. We know this point
lies on the line and fits the General Equation for a Line. So we can
substitute the x and y values of the point into the General Equation
to get a new equation:
General Equation: y = mx + b
New Equation (substituting x and y) 15 = m*5 + b
31
(c) We know the slope (m) from Step 1, so we substitute it into the
New Equation to get a Second New Equation:
Second New Equation: 15 = 2*5 + b
(d) We use algebra to solve the Second New Equation and find the
intercept (b):

15 = 10 + b
15 – 10 = (10 + b) – 10
5 =b
(e) We now know that the intercept (b) of the line is 5 and its slope
(m) is 2. To get the equation of the line, we substitute these
numbers into the General Equation for a Line:
Equation for this line: y = 2*x + 5
(f) We now know the equation of the line. Every point on the line
should fit this equation. We will now double check our work and
make sure that the other point we started with, (8, 21), fits our
equation. The x-coordinate of this point is 8. We "plug" this
number into our equation to see if we get a y value of 21:
Equation for this line: y = 2*x + 5

y = 2*8 + 5
y = 16 + 5
y = 21
Yes, the point (8, 21) fits the equation we calculated. Therefore
this point is on the line. We can now be sure we have found the
correct equation for the line.
32
Second Example
Let's try a second example. What is the equation of the line that
passes through the points (4, 5) and (10, 2)?
Step 1: Find the Slope
(a) We compare the x-coordinates of our two points and see that 4
is less than 10. So (4, 5) is the left point and (10, 2) is the right
point.
(b) We now calculate the run by subtracting the x-coordinates of

the two points, and we calculate the rise by subtracting their y-
coordinates. The right point goes on the top in our subtraction
problem:
(10, 2) right point

- (4, 5) left point
6, - 3 run and rise between the points
(c) We use the run and the rise to calculate the slope:
slope = rise/run = -3/6 = - 1/2
We now know that the slope (m) is – 1/2
Step 2: Find the intercept
We now find the intercept (b) using algebra.
(a) We choose either one of the points. Let's use (10, 2).
(b) For the point (10, 2), x = 10 and y = 2. We substitute these

numbers into the General Equation to get a New Equation:
33
(c) In step 1 we found that the slope (m) = - 1/2. We substitute

this number into the New Equation to get a Second New Equation:
Second New Equation: 2 = - 1/2 *10 + b
(d) We use algebra to solve the Second New Equation and find b:
Second New Equation: 2 = -1/2 * 10 + b

2 = -5 + b
2 + 5 = (-5 + b) + 5
7 = b
(e) We now know that the intercept of the line is 7 and its slope is
– 1/2. We substitute these numbers into the General Equation:
Equation for this line: y = - 1/2 * x + 7
(f) We check our work to make sure the other point, (4, 5) fits our
equation. The x-coordinate of this point is 4. We "plug" this
number into our equation to see if we get a y value of 5:
Equation for this line: y = -1/2*x + 7

y = -1/2*4 + 7
y = -2 + 7
y= 5
Yes, the point (4, 5) fits this equation. It must be on the line. We
can be sure we have found the correct equation for the line.
34
1. Write the General Formula for a Line in the blank below.

(write the version that uses the words "slope" and "intercept")
_____________________________________________
2. Write the General Formula for a Line in the blank below.

(write the version that uses "m" and "b")
_____________________________________________
3. If you know two points on a line, there are two steps

to finding the equation for a line:
First, find the line's _________________.
Second, find its _____________________.

(fill in the blanks)

(5, 12) (10, 20)
(a) What is the line's slope?
(b) What is the line's intercept?
(c) What is the line's equation?

35

(16, 2) (8, 8)
(c) What is the line's equation?
6. A line has the following equation:
y = .80*x + 15

36
Section 5. Scatterplots Using z-Scores
In the previous sections of this chapter you have learned how to

plot ordered pairs of numbers on a scatterplot. In the present
section you will learn how ordered pairs of z-scores can be plotted
on a scatterplot in a similar way.
To begin, Table 5 presents the values of five people on two

variables called x and y. We will call these values the raw scores
for x and y. Each row of the table shows the raw scores for a
single person. For instance, the person in the table has a raw score
of 8 for x and a raw score of 2 for y. Similarly, the second person
in the table has a raw score of 4 for x and a raw score of 4 for y.
Table 5a. Raw scores for five people on x and y.
Raw
x y Coordinates
8 2 (8, 2)
4 4 (4, 4)
10 5 (10, 5)
16 6 (16, 6)
12 8 (12, 8)
The x and y raw scores of each person can combined into an

ordered pair, as shown in the column of the table headed "Raw
Coordinates." We will call the ordered pair for each person the
raw coordinates for that person. So the raw coordinates for the
first person in the table are (8, 2), the raw coordinates for the
second person are (4, 4), and so on. These raw coordinates can be
plotted on a scatterplot, as shown in Figure 5b on the next page. It
is called a Scatterplot of Raw Coordinates.
Figure 5b. Scatterplot of Raw Coordinates in Table 5a.

37
10
9
8 (12, 8)
7
y 6 (16, 6)
(raw scores) 5 (8, 2)(10, 5)
4 (4, 4)
3
2
1
x (raw scores)
Next, 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
before
continuing, we are going to calculate the z-scores for x and y.
Table 5c on the next page shows the same five people as Table 5a,
but their z-scores have been added.
The z-scores for x are shown in the column of the table headed zx.
Notice that "zx" has a little "x" at its lower right side. This little "x"
is called a subscript. It indicates that these are the z-scores for x.
The z-scores for y are shown in the column headed zy.

The subscript is "y," indicating that these are the z-scores for y.
38
Table 5c. Raw scores and z-scores for five people on x and y.
Raw Standardized
x zx y zy Coordinates Coordinates
8 -0.5 2 -1.5 (8, 2) (-0.5, -1.5)
4 -1.5 4 -0.5 (4, 4) (-1.5, -0.5)
10 0 5 0 (10, 5) (0, 0)
16 1.5 6 0.5 (16, 6) (1.5, 0.5)
12 0.5 8 1.5 (12, 8) (0.5, 1.5)
The z-scores scores of each person can be combined into an

ordered pair, as shown in the column of the table headed
"Standardized Coordinates." We will call the ordered pair for each
person the standardized coordinates for that person. For instance,
the standardized coordinates for the first person in the table are
(-0.5, -1.5). In other words, this person's z-score for x is -0.5 (zx = -
0.5) and the z-score for y is -1.5 (zy = -1.5).
The standardized coordinates in Table 5c can be plotted as in

Figure 5d.
Figure 5d. Scatterplot of Standardized Coordinates

in Table 5c.
(0.5, 1.5)
(1.5, 0.5)
(-1.5, -0.5)
(-0.5, -1.5)
39
The scatter-plot of standardized coefficients in Figure 5d is called a

standardized scatterplot or a scatterplot of z-scores. It's a little
different from the scatterplots you've seen before.
(1) The horizontal axis represents the z-scores for x (zx) and the
vertical axis represents the z-scores for y (zy).
(2) The origin of the scatterplot, where the two axes meet, is right
in the middle of the graph. The standardized coordinates of the
origin are (0, 0). Standardized scatterplots always have the origin
in the center.
(3) Because z-scores can be either negative or positive, the two

axes include both positive and negative numbers. The axes are just
like the number lines that you learned about in algebra class.
On the horizontal axis (zx), positive numbers are to the right of the
origin and negative numbers are to the left of the origin.
On the vertical axis (zy), positive numbers are above the origin and
negative numbers are below the origin.
40
1. The mean of X is 9 with a standard deviation of 4.

The mean of Y is 7 with a standard deviation of 2.
Fill in the white spaces in the table below for zx, zy,
the raw coordinates of (x, y) and the standardized coordinates
of (zx, zx).
Raw Standardized
15 4
3 10
7 6
9 8
11 7
2. Plot the standardized coordinates from Exercise 1 on the

standardized scatterplot below. Write the standardized coordinates
beside each point that you plot.
41
Section 6. Hybrid Scatterplots
Figure 6a below is a scatterplot that shows the raw coordinates of

five people. Figure 6a should look familiar because it is the same
as Figure 5b in the previous section.
Figure 6a. Scatterplot of Raw Coordinates for Five People.
10
9
8 (12, 8)
7
y 6 (16, 6)
(raw scores) 5 (8, 2)(10, 5)
4 (4, 4)
3
2
1
x (raw scores)
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
Figure 6b on the next page is a standardized scatterplot that shows

the standardized coordinates (z-scores) of the same five people
shown in Figure 6a. Figure 6b should also look familiar because it
is the same as Figure 5d in the previous section.
42
Figure 6b. Scatterplot of Standardized Coordinates

for Same Five People as in Figure 6a.
(0.5, 1.5)
(1.5, 0.5)
(-1.5, -0.5)
(-0.5, -1.5)
Figures 6a and 6b show the same five people, but Figure 6a is a

scatterplot of their raw coordinates and Figure 6b is a standardized
scatterplot of their standardized coordinates (z-scores). It can be
very helpful to combine these two scatterplots into a single hybrid
scatterplot. Figure 6c below is a hybrid scatterplot that combines
Figure 6a and Figure 6b into a single graph.
43
Figure 6c. Hybrid Scatterplot (combining

Figures 6a & 6b)
zy
10
9 2.0
8 1.5
7 1.0
6 0.5
5 zx
4 -2.0 -1.0 -0.5 -0.5 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0
3 -1.0
2 -1.5
1 -2.0
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
(12, 8)
y (0.5, 1.5)
(16, 6)
(raw scores) (0.5, 1.5)
(10, 5 )
(8, 2)
(0, 0)
(-0.5, -1.5)
(4, 4)
(-1.5, -0.5)
x
(raw scores)
44
As you can see in Figure 6c, every point in the hybrid scatterplot
has two sets of coordinates. First, the raw coordinates (in black)
indicate the point's position if we use the point's coordinates on the
x and y axes. Second, the standardized coordinates (in red) indicate
the point's position if we use the point's coordinates on the zx and
zy axes. We could say that every point has two "names": The first
name tells us the point's coordinates on the x and y axes (its raw
coordinates). The second name tell us the point's coordinates on
the zy and zy axes (its standardized coordinates).
The hybrid scatterplot also has two different origins. One origin,
at the lower left corner of the scatterplot, is where the x and y axes
meet. We'll call it the origin for raw scores. The other origin,
right in the middle of the scatterplot, is where the zx and zy axes
meet. We'll call it the origin for z-scores.
Figure 6d below presents a simplified version of the hybrid

scatterplot in Figure 6c.
Figure 6d. Simplified Version of the Hybrid Scatterplot

in Figures 6c
45
zy y
10
2.0 9
8
1.0 7
6
0 5
4
-1.0 3
2
-2.0 1
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 x
-2.0 -1.0 0 1.0 2.0 zx
50
Figure 6d is the same as Figure 6c, but has been simplified to make
it easier to read. The numbers for the zx axis (in red) have been
moved to the bottom of the scatterplot, underneath the numbers for
the x-axis (in black). Similarly, the numbers for the zy axis (in red)
have been moved to the far left side of the scatterplot, next to the
numbers for the y-axis (in black).
If we want to know a point's raw coordinates, we can use the

numbers on the x and y axes. For instance, we can see that the
point in the very middle of the scatterplot has raw coordinates of
(10, 5) on the x and y axes. If we want to know the standardized
coordinates of the same point, we can use the numbers on the zx
and zx axes. The standardized coordinates of this point are (0, 0).
If we have a scatterplot of raw coordinates, it is fairly easy to turn

it into a hybrid scatterplot like the one in Figure 6d. All we have to
know are the means and standard deviations of the x and y
variables. To see how this is done, we will start with the
scatterplot of raw coordinates in Figure 6e below. You have seen
this scatterplot before in Figure 2a. It shows the number of pets
and the number of trips to the veterinarian for 24 people.
46
Figure 6e. Scatterplot of Raw Coordinates.

Relationship of No. of Pets
to No. of Trips to Veterinarian
No. of 5
Trips to
4
Vet
3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
No. of Pets
In this scatterplot, the x-axis represents "No. of Pets" and the y-

axis represents "No. of Trips to the Vet." In Step 1, we will add
some new labels to the scatterplot as shown in Figure 6f below.
Figure 6f. Step 1: Add labels for these axes: x, y, zx and zy.
zy y
8
7
47
6
No. of
Trips to 5
Vet 4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 x
zx
No. of Pets
As you can see, we have added the label "x" at the right end of the
x-axis, and the label "y" at the top of the y-axis. We add these
labels to remind us that the numbers on these axes are showing the
raw coordinates for x and y.
We have also added the label "zy" beside the new label for the y-
axis. And we have added the label "zx" underneath the new label
for the x-axis. We add the labels for zx and zy because we will
need them in the next step.
Green arrows are included this scatterplot and the following

scatterplots simply to show you where changes have been made.
Normally, you do not need to include arrows like this when you
make a hybrid scatterplot.
In Step 2, we are going to add some numbers to the zx axis,

underneath the numbers for the x-axis. To do this, we need to
know the mean and standard deviation (SD) of x. Let's say that we
already know that the mean of x is 6 and its SD is 2.
48
If 6 is the mean of x, we know that zx = 0 when x = 6. So

underneath the 6 on the x-axis we write "0" for zx, as in the figure
below:
Figure 6g. Step 2: Add zx = 0.
zy y
8
6
No. of
Trips to 5
Vet 4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 x
0 zx
No. of Pets
Next we are going to add "1," "2," and "3" to the zx axis. If the
mean of x is 6 and the SD is 2, then (a) zx = 1 when x = 8, (b) zx =
2 when x = 10, and (c) zx = 3 when x = 12. So, if we have room,
we will write each z value under the corresponding value on the x-
axis, as in Figure 6h below.
Figure 6h. Step 2 (continued): Add zx = 1, 2 and 3.
zy y
8
49
6
No. of
Trips to 5
Vet 4
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 x
0 1 2 zx
No. of Pets
As you can see, there isn't enough room in the scatterplot to show
zx = 3. That's no problem. We'll just leave it out.
Next we are going to add "-1," "-2," and "-3" to the zx axis. We
can do the calculations if we like, but we don't really have to. Just
by looking at the numbers we have already written, we can see
where "-1," "-2," and "-3" belong on the scatterplot. So we can just
write these numbers where they belong, as shown in Figure 6i.
Figure 6i. Step 2 (continued): Add zx = -1, -2 and -3.
zy y
8
6
No. of
Trips to 5
Vet 4
50
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 x
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 zx
No. of Pets
We have now filled in the values of zx and finished Step 2. In Step

3 we will do the same thing for the values of zy. The mean of y is
5 and the SD is 1. We'll start out by adding zy = 0 to the
scatterplot. By now you can probably figure out where we should
put the "0" for zy. Decide where it should go before looking at the
following scatterplot.
Figure 6j. Step 3: Add zy = 0.
zy y
8
6
No. of
0
Trips to 5
Vet 4
51
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 x
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 zx
No. of Pets
As you see, zy = 0 is next to "5" on the y-axis because the mean of

y is 5. You can probably guess what comes next. We need to add
the numbers for zy = 1, 2, and 3, and then for zy = -1, -2, and -3.
Before looking at Figure 3k below, decide where these numbers
should go. Remember, the mean of y is 5 and the SD is 1.
Figure 6k. Step 3: Add zy = 1, 2 and 3, and zy = -1, -2 and -3.
zy y
3 8
2 7
1 6
No. of
0
Trips to 5
Vet
52
-1 4
-2 3
-3 2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 x
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 zx
No. of Pets
Now we're ready for the fourth and final step: We will draw the
lines that represent the zx and zy axes. This is easy. We just draw a
dotted vertical line where zx = 0 and a dotted horizontal line where
zy = 0, as shown in the figure below.
Figure 6l. Step 4: Add the dotted lines for the zx and zy axes.
zy y
3 8
2 7
1 6
No. of
0
Trips to 5
Vet
53
-1 4
-2 3
-3 2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 x
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 zx
No. of Pets
As you can see, it is fairly easy to take a scatterplot with raw

coordinates and use it to create a hybrid scatterplot. There are four
steps:
1. Add new labels for the x, y, zx and zy axes.
2. Add the numbers for the zx-axis below the numbers for the x-
axis. Begin with zx = 0, then add the numbers for zx = 1, 2, 3 and
zx = -1, -2, -3.
3. Add the numbers for the zy axis.
4. Add the dotted lines for the zx and zy axes.
As you will find in later chapters, a hybrid scatterplot can be

extraordinarily useful and time-saving. For example, you can
often figure out a person's z-scores without doing any calculations.
Here's an example. One of the people in Figure 6m below is
marked with a green point. This person has 4 pets and made 5
trips to the vet during the past year. By look at the scatterplot, see
if you can figure out (a) what is this person's z-score on the x-
54
variable (No. of Pets), and (b) what is this person's z-score on the
y-variable (No. of Trips to the Vet)?
Figure 6m. Step 4: Add the lines for the zx and zy axes.
zy y
3 8
2 7
1 6
No. of
0
Trips to 5
Vet -1 4
-2 3
-3 2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 x
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 zx
No. of Pets
The green point represents a person with 4 pets (x = 4). If we look

below the number "4" the x-axis, we can see that zx = -1. So this
person's z-score on x is -1. Similarly, the person made 5 trips to
the vet (y = 5). If we look beside the number 5 on the y-axis, we
can see that zy = 0. So this person's z-score on y is 0. What's
impressive about the hybrid scatterplot is that it allows us to figure
out both these z-scores without doing any calculations. And as
you'll see in future chapters, hybrid scatterplots are useful and
time-saving in many other ways as well.
55
1. A scatterplot is shown on the next page.

The mean of X is 9 and the standard deviation is 4
The mean of Y is 7 and the standard deviation is 2.
Turn this scatterplot into a hybrid scatterplot by following these

steps:
(a) Add new labels for the x, y, zx and zy axes.
(b) Add the numbers for the zx-axis below the numbers for
the x-axis. Begin with zx = 0, then add the numbers for zx =
1, 2 and zx = -1, -2.
(c) Add the numbers for the zy axis as you did for the zx-axis.
(d) Add the dotted lines for the zx and zy axes.
2. After you have created the hybrid scatterplot in Exercise 1,

(a) use it to find the standardized coordinates of each point, and
(b) write these coordinates beside each point.
56
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
0
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17
57
Section 7. Equations of Lines on Hybrid Scatterplots.
As you have learned, every point in a hybrid scatterplot has two

names: The first name tells us the point's coordinates on the x and
y axes, and the second name tell us the point's coordinates on the zx
and zy axes. Similarly, every line in a hybrid scatterplot has two
equations. The first equation uses the x and y values of the points
on the line. The second equation uses the z-scores of these same
points. In this section, you will learn how to find these two
equations.
To begin, we will use the hybrid scatterplot in Figure 7a. A blue

line has been drawn on the scatterplot, and two blue points have
been marked on the line. Each point has two names: The raw
coordinates of each point (x and y) are shown in black, and the
standardized coordinates (zx and zy) are shown in red.
58
Figure 7a . Line on a Hybrid Scatterplot,

With Two Points Marked
3zy y
8
2 7 (10, 6)
(2, 1)
1 6
0 5
-1 4
-2 3 (2, 2)
(-2, -3)
-3 2
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 x
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 zx
First we will find the equation for the line using the points' raw
coordinates on the x and y axes. The raw coordinates of the points
are (2, 2) and (10, 6). We follow the steps for finding the equation
of a line.
Step 1: Find the slope.
(a) The left point is (2, 2) and the right point is (10, 6).
59
(b) We subtract the x-coordinates from each other to get the run,
and we subtract the y-coordinates from each other to get the rise:
(10, 6) right point

( 2, 2) left point
8, 4 run and rise between the points
(c) We calculate the slope: Slope = rise/run = 4/8 = 1/2

Step 2: Find the intercept.
(a) We choose one of the points: (2, 2)
(b) We substitute the point's x and y values into the General

Equation for a Line to get a new equation:
(c) We substitute the slope (m) that we calculated into the New
Equation to get a Second New Equation:
Second New Equation: 2 = 1/2*2 + b
intercept (b):
Second New Equation: 2 = 1/2*2 + b

2=1+b
2 – 1 = (1+ b) – 1
1 =b
(e) We now know that the slope is 1/2 and the intercept is 1. We
now get the equation of the line by substituting these numbers into
the General Equation for a Line:
60
Equation for this line: y = 1/2*x + 1
(f) We check our work by seeing if the other point (10, 6) fits the
line. The x-coordinate of this point is 10. We "plug" this number
into our equation to see if we get a y value of 6:
Equation for this line: y = 1/2*x + 1

y = 1/2*10 + 1
y=5+1
y=6
Yes, the point (10, 6) fits the equation we calculated. Therefore

this point is on the line.
So the equation of the line if we use the raw values of x and y is:
y = 1/2*x + 1
This equation is called the called the unstandardized equation of

the line. The word "unstandardized" means the same thing as the
word "raw." Notice that the y-intercept of this equation is "1." If
you look back at Figure 7a, you will see that the blue line crosses
the y-axis at 1. The unstandardized equation tells us the line's
equation if we use the x and y axes and the x- and y-coordinates of
points. The slope of the line as given in the unstandardized
equation is called the unstandardized slope, and the intercept of the
line as given in the unstandardized equation is called the
unstandardized intercept.
Next we will find the equation for the same line using the same
points, but we this time we will use the points' standardized
coordinates on the zx and zy axes. The standardized coordinates
(zx, zy) of the points are shown in red in Figure 7a: (-2, -3) and
(2, 1). We follow the steps for finding the equation of a line.
61
Step 1: Find the slope.
(a) The left point is (-2, -3) and the right point is (2, 1).
(b) We subtract the zx-coordinates from each other to get the run,
and we subtract the zy-coordinates from each other to get the rise:
( 2, 1) right point
(-2, -3) left point
(c) We calculate the slope: Slope = rise/run = 4/4 = 1

Step 2: Find the intercept.
(a) We choose one of the points: (2, 1)
Important Note: We are using zx and zy in place of x and y. So in

the steps that follow, we write " zx" wherever we would usually
write "x," and we write " zy" wherever we would usually write
"y."
(b) We substitute the point's zx and zy values into the General

Equation for a Line to get a new equation:
General Equation: zy = m*zx + b

(c) We substitute the slope (m) that we calculated into the New
Equation to get a Second New Equation:

62
intercept (b):

1=2+b
1 – 2 = (2+ b) – 2
-1 = b
(e) We now know that the slope is 1 and the intercept is -1. We
now get the equation of the line by substituting these numbers into
the General Equation for a Line:
General Equation: zy = m*zx + b

Equation for this line: zy = 1* zx - 1 or zy = zx - 1
(f) We check our work by seeing if the other point (-2, -3) fits the
line. The zx-coordinate of this point is -2. We "plug" this number
into our equation to see if we get a zy value of -3:
Equation for this line: zy = z x – 1

zy = -2 - 1
zy = -3
Yes, the point (-2, -3) fits the equation we calculated. Therefore
this point is on the line.
So the equation of the line if we use the standardized values of x

and y (zx and zy) is:
zy = z x - 1
This equation is called the called the standardized equation of the

line, or sometimes it is called the z-score equation of the line.
Notice that, the zy-intercept of this equation is "-1." If you look
back at Figure 7a, you will see that the blue line crosses the red
63
zy axis at -1. The standardized equation tells us the line's equation

if we use the zx and zy axes and the zx- and zy-coordinates of points.
The slope of the line as given in the standardized equation is called

the standardized slope, and the intercept of the line as given in the
standardized equation is called the standardized intercept. As this
example shows, a line's standardized slope is usually different
(sometimes much different) from its unstandardized slope, and its
standardized intercept is usually different from its unstandardized
intercept.
In summary, here are the main points from this section:
(a) A line in a hybrid scatterplot has two equations: the

unstandardized equation and the standardized equation.
(b) To find the unstandardized equation, you need to know two

points on the line. The raw coordinates (x and y) of these points
are used to calculate the line's slope and intercept. This equation
has the form y = mx + b
(c) To find the standardized equation, you can use the same two
points. The standardized coordinates (zx and zy) of these points are
used to calculate the line's slope and intercept. This equation has
the form zy = m*zx + b.
(d) The unstandardized equation tells you the equation of the line
if you use the raw x- and y-coordinates, and the x- and y-axes. The
slope of the unstandardized equation is called the unstandardized
slope, and the intercept is called the unstandardized intercept. The
word "unstandardized" means the same thing as the word "raw."
(e) The standardized equation tells you the equation of the line if
you use the standardized coordinates (zx and zy), and the zx and zy
64
axes. The standardized equation of the line is also called the z-

score equation of the line. The slope of the standardized equation is
called the standardized slope, and the intercept is called the
standardized intercept. A line's standardized slope and
standardized intercept are usually different (sometimes much
different) from its unstandardized slope and unstandardized
intercept.
1. A line is drawn on a scatterplot.

Point A is a point on the line.
Its unstandardized coordinates (x, y) are (6, 4).
Its standardized coordinates (zx, zy) are (-2, -1).
Point B is another point on the line.

Its unstandardized coordinates (x, y) are (26 ,14).
Its standardized coordinates (zx, zy) are (2, 1).
(a) What is the unstandardized slope of the line?

(b) What is the unstandardized intercept of the line?
(c) What is the unstandardized equation of the line?
(d) What is the standardized slope of the line?
(e) What is the standardized intercept of the line?
(f) What is the standardized equation of the line?
65
2. A line is drawn on a scatterplot.
The unstandardized coordinates of Point A on the line are (32, 36).
The unstandardized coordinates of Point B on the line are (14, 27).
The mean of X is 20 and the standard deviation is 6.

The mean of Y is 30 and the standard deviation is 12
(a) What are the standardized coordinates of the two points

on the line?
(b) What is the standardized slope of the line?
(c) What is the standardized intercept of the line?
(d) What is the standardized equation of the line?
66
Section 8. The Point of Averages.

The Positive Z-Equal Line and the Negative Z-Equal Line
In this section you will learn about one special point and two
special lines in hybrid scatterplots.
The point is called the "point of averages." It is shown as a green

diamond in Figure 8a below:
Figure 8a. The Point of Averages.
zy y
3 8
2 7
1 6
No. of
0
Trips to 5
Vet -1 4
-2 3
Point of
-3 2 Averages
(6, 5)
1 (0, 0)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 x
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 zx
No. of Pets
67
Here are some important things to remember about the Point of

Averages.
(a) It is located where the zx and zy axes meet.
(b) Its standardized coordinates are always (0, 0).
(c) Its raw coordinates (x and y) are equal to the mean of X and the
mean of Y. In Figure 8a, the mean of X is 6 and the mean of Y is
5. So the raw coordinates of the Point of Averages are (6, 5).
Sometimes the raw coordinates for the Point of Averages are
written in a general form: (X , Y )
(d) In a hybrid scatterplot, the Point of Averages is always located

in the exact center of all the points on the scatterplot. You might
say the Point of Averages is the "Queen Bee." All the other bees
(points) are swarming around it.
Next, let's talk about one of the most important lines on a hybrid
scatterplot. It's called the Positive z-Equal Line and is shown in
Figure 8b on the next page.
68
Figure 8b. The Positive z-Equal Line
zy y
3 8
2 7
10, 7)
1 6 (2, 2)
(8, 6)
0 5 (1, 1)
(6, 5)
-1 4 (0, 0)
(4, 4)
-2 3 (-1, -1)
(2, 3)
-3 2 (-2, -2)
1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 x
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2
zx
Five blue points are marked on the Positive Z-Equal Line in Figure
8b. If you look at the standardized coordinates of each point (in
red) you can see why this line is called "z-equal." For each of the
five points zx = zy. The standardized equation of the Positive Z-
Equal Line is: zx = zy.
As you recall from the previous section, the standardized

coordinates of the Point of Averages are (0,0), and zx = zy = 0.
Therefore the Point of Averages always lies on the Positive z-equal
line.
Next let's look at the Negative z-Equal Line, which is shown in

Figure 8c on the next page.
69
Figure 8c. The Negative z-Equal Line
zy y
3 8
2 7
(2, 7)
1 6 (-2, 2)
(4, 6)
0 5 (-1, 1)
(6, 5)
-1 4 (0, 0)
(8, 4)
-2 3 (1, -1)
10, 3)
-3 2 (2, -2)
1
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 x
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 zx
Five blue points are marked on the Negative z-Equal Line in

Figure 8c. If you look at the standardized coordinates of each
point (in red) you can see why this line is called "negative z-
equal." For each of the five points, zy is equal to zx multipled by -
1. The standardized equation of the Negative z-Equal Line is: zy =
- zx. The Positive and Negative z-Equal Lines are highly similar,
but one has a positive slope and the other has a negative slope.
As you recall from the previous section, the standardized

coordinates of the Point of Averages are (0, 0), so zy = - zx = 0.
Therefore the Point of Averages always lies on the Negative z-
Equal line.
70
1. Indicate which of the following statements are true and which

are false in a hybrid scatterplot:
(a) The standardized coordinates of the Point of Averages

are always (0, 0)
(b) The raw coordinates of the Point of Averages are

always (0, 0)
(c) The origin of the zx and zy axes is always in the middle

of the points in the scatterplot.
(d) The origin of the x and y axes is always in the middle

of the points in the scatterplot.
2. Here are the standardized coordinates of two points

on the Positive Z-Equal Line in Figure 8b:
(0, 0) and (1, 1). Use these points to answer the
following questions:
(a) What is the standardized slope of the line?
(b) What is its standardized intercept?
(c) What is its standardized equation?
3. What is the standardized slope of the Negative Z-equal Line?
Homework exercises continue on next page.

71
4. Indicate which of the following statements are true and which

are false:
(a) The Point of Averages is always on
the Positive z-Equal Line
(b) The Point of Averages is always on

the Negative z-Equal Line
(c) The origin of the x and y axes is always on

the Positive Z-Equal Line
(d)The origin of the zx and zy axes is always on

the Positive z-Equal Line
5. What are the standardized coordinates of the point where the

Positive Z-Equal Line and the Negative Z-Equal Line meet?
72
Answers to Homework Exercises

for Chapter 5
Answers for Homework Exercises, Section 1
Exercise 1
Point A: (8, 3)
Point B: (3, 2)
Point C: (2, 4)
Point D: (6, 1)
Exercise 2
In a scatterplot, the horizontal axis at the bottom is called

the x-axis. The vertical axis at the left is called the y-axis.
Exercise 3
The place where the two axes meet is called the origin.
73
Exercise 4
5 J M
4 K
y 3 L
2
N
1 O
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Exercise 5
M is the outlier. All the other points line on the same line.
Exercise 6
The coordinates of the origin are (0, 0).

Exercise 1
The y-coordinate of the point where the line meets the y-axis is
called the line's y-intercept or its intercept.
74
Exercise 2
To find the slope of a line, divide the rise by the run.
Exercise 3
The ant will bet more tired if the line has a positive slope.
Explanation: If a line has a positive slope, it goes up from left to

right. If a line has a negative slope, it goes down from left to right.
The ant will get more tired if it walks uphill than if it walks
downhill.
Exercise 4
(a) The intercept is 2
Explanation: This is the y-coordinate of the point

where the line crosses the y-axis. The intercept is
also called the y-intercept.
(b) The rise of the line between the two points is 1.
Explanation: The y-coordinate of the point on the left is 3.

The y-coordinate of the point on the right is 4.
Therefore, the ant goes up 1 if it travels from the point on the
left to the point on the right.
75
(c) The run of the line between the two points is 4.
Explanation: The x-coordinate of the point on the left is 4.

The x-coordinate of the point on the right is 8.
Therefore, the ant goes sideways 4 if it travels from the point
on the left to the point on the right.
(d) The slope of the line is ¼ or .25
Explanation: The rise is 1 and the run is 4.

slope = rise/run = ¼ = .25
Exercise 5
(a) The rise of the line between the two points is 2.

Therefore, the ant goes up 2 (that is, 8 – 6) if it travels from
the point on the left to the point on the right.
(b) The run of the line between the two points is 20.

Therefore, the ant goes sideways 20 (that is, 45-25) if it
travels from the point on the left to the point on the right.
(c) The slope of the line is 1/10 or .10
Explanation: The rise is 2 and the run is 20.

slope = rise/run = 2/20 = 1/10 = .10
76
Exercise 6
The ant will bet more tired if the line's slope is .75.
Explanation: If a line's slope is .25, the ant must go up 1 inch

for every 4 inches it travels sideways (rise/run = ¼ = .25).
If a line's slope is .75, the ant must go up 3 inches for every 4
inches it travels sideways (rise/run = ¾ = .75).
So the line with slope of .75 is steeper than the line with
slope of .25, and the ant must work harder if it goes up the
line with the slope of .75 than if it goes up the line with slope
of .25.
Exercise 7
(a) The intercept is 7
Explanation: This is the y-coordinate of the point

where the line crosses the y-axis. The intercept is
also called the y-intercept.
(b) The rise of the line between the two points is -3.

Therefore, the ant goes down 3 if it travels from the point on
the left to the point on the right.
Note: It is still called "the rise of the line," even though the
ant goes down and the rise is actually negative.
77
(c) The run of the line between the two points is 4.

Therefore, the ant goes sideways 4 if it travels from the point
on the left to the point on the right.
(d) The slope of the line is - ¾ or -.75
Explanation: The rise is -3 and the run is 4.

slope = rise/run = -3/4 = -.75
78
Exercise 1
(a) Yes, (10, 11) is on the line.
Explanation: The equation tells us that if x is 10, then
y = .4*x + 7
= .4*10 + 7
=4+7
= 11
So the point (10, 11) fits the equation and is on the line.
(b) No, (10, 13) is NOT on the line.
Explanation: In part (a) of this exercise, we calculated that

if x is 10, then y = 11. So (10, 13) doesn't fit the equation of
the line and is NOT on the line.
(c) No, (-30, -25) is NOT on the line.
Explanation: The equation tells us that if x is -30, then
y = .4*x + 7
= .4*(-30) + 7
= (-12) + 7
=-5
So the point (-30, -25) does NOT fit the equation of the line
and is NOT on the line.
79
(d) Yes, (-30, -5) is on the line.
Explanation: In part (c) of this exercise, we calculated that

if x is -30, then y = -5. So (-30, -5) fits the equation of the
line and is on the line.
Exercise 2
(a) When x = 0, the value of y is 7.
Explanation: The equation tells us that if x is 0, then
y = .4*x + 7
= .4*0 + 7
= (0) + 7
=7
(b) The intercept of the line y = .4*x + 7 is 7.
The intercept of a line is the y-coordinate of the line when it

crosses the y-axis.
A line crosses the y-axis when the line's x-coordinate is 0.
In part (a) of this exercise, we saw that when the x-coordinate
of the line is 0, then the y-coordinate is 7.
Therefore, 7 is the intercept of the line.
80
Exercise 1
The General Formula for a Line is: y = slope*x + intercept
Exercise 2
The General Formula for a Line is: y = m*x + b
Exercise 3
If you know two points on a line, the two steps for finding the
line's equation are:
First find the line's slope.
Second find its intercept.

81
Exercise 4
The two points on the line are: (5, 12) (10, 20)
(a) The line's slope is 1.60.
Explanation:
Compare the x-coordinates of (5, 12) and (10, 20).

Because 5 is less than 10, we can see that (5,12) is
the point on the left and (10, 20) is the point on the right.
(10, 20) right point

- ( 5, 12) left point
Slope = rise / run = 8 /5 = 1.60
(b) The line's intercept is 4.
Explanation: Choose one of the points.

Let's say we choose (10, 20), so that x = 10 and y = 20.
We substitute these numbers into the General Equation to get

a New Equation:
y = m*x + b General Equation

20 = m*10 + b New Equation (substituting x and y)
In (a), we just found that the slope (m) is 1.60. We substitute

this into the New Equation and get a Second New Equation:
20 = 1.60*10 + b Second New Equation

(explanation continues on next page)
82
Now we do the algebra to find b:
Second New Equation 20 = 1.60 * 10 + b

20 = 16 + b
20 – 16 = (16 + b) – 16
4 = b
So the intercept (b) is 4.
(c) The equation is y = 1.60*x + 4
Explanation: We just calculated that m = 1.60 and b = 4, so

we just substitute these into the General Equation:

Equation for this line: y = 1.60*x + 4
We can check our work by seeing if the two points fit.

The first point is (5, 12). If x = 5, then the equation of the
line says:
Equation for this line: y = 1.60 *5 + 4
y=8+4
y = 12
So (5, 12) fits the equation for the line and is on the line.
The second point is (10, 20). If x = 10, then the equation of

the line says:
Equation for this line: y = 1.60 *10 + 4

y = 16 + 4
y = 20
So (10, 20) fits the equation for the line and is on the line.
83
Exercise 5
The two points on the line are: (16, 2) (8, 8)
(a) The line's slope is – 3/4 or - .75
Explanation:
Compare the x-coordinates of (16, 2) and (8, 8).

Because 8 is less than 16, we can see that (8,8) is the
point on the left and (16, 2) is the point on the right.
(16, 2) right point

- ( 8, 8) left point
8, -6 run and rise between the points
Slope = rise / run = -6 /8 = -3/4 or -.75

(Notice that the rise is negative, so the slope is also negative)
(b) The line's intercept is 4.
Explanation: Choose one of the points.

Let's say we choose (8, 8), so that x = 8 and y = 8.
We substitute these numbers into the General Equation to get

a New Equation:
y = m*x + b General Equation

8 = m*8 + b New Equation (substituting x and y)

84
In (a), we just found that the slope (m) is -.75. We

substitute this into the New Equation and get a Second
New Equation:
8 = -.75*8 + b Second New Equation

Now we do the algebra to find b:
Second New Equation 8 = -.75 * 8 + b

8=-6+b
8 – (-6) = (-6 + b) – (-6)
14 = b
So the intercept (b) is 14.
(c) The equation is y = -.75*x + 14
Explanation: We just calculated that m = -.75 and b = 14, so

we just substitute these into the General Equation:

Equation for this line: y = -.75*x + 14

85
We can check our work by seeing if the two points fit.

The first point is (16, 2).
If x = 16, then the equation of the line says:
Equation for this line: y = -.75 *16 + 14
y = -12 + 14
y=2
So (16, 2) fits the equation for the line and therefore is on the
line.
The second point is (8, 8).

If x = 8, then the equation of the line says:
Equation for this line: y = -.75 *8 + 14
y = -6 + 14
y= 8
So (8, 8) fits the equation for the line and therefore is on the
line.
Exercise 6
If the equation for a line is y = .80*x + 15

(a) the slope (m) is .80
(b) the intercept (b) is 15

Exercise 1
Raw Standardized
15 1.5 4 -1.5 (15, 4) (1.5, -1.5)
3 -1.5 10 1.5 (3, 10) (-1.5, 1.5)
7 -0.5 6 -0.5 (7, 6) (-0.5, -0.5)
9 0 8 0.5 (9, 8) (0, 0.5)
Exercise
11 20.5 7 0 (11, 7) (0.5, 0)
86
(-1.5, 1.5)
(0, 0.5)
(0.5, 0)
(-0.5, -0.5) (1.5, -1.5)
87

Exercises 1 and 2
88

Exercise 1
Unstandardized coordinates: Point A (6, 4). Point B (26, 14)

Standardized coordinates: Point A (-2, -1). Point B (2, 1)
(a) Unstandardized slope = ½ or .50
Explanation:
Unstandardized coordinates: A (6, 4). B (26, 14)
Rise = 14 – 4 = 10; Run = 26 – 6 = 20

Slope = Rise/Run = 10/20 = ½ or .50
(b) Unstandardized intercept = 1
Explanation:
Choose one point, (6, 4), and substitute in

General Equation for Line.
y=m*x+b General Equation:
4=m*6+b Substitute x and y
Substitute slope (m = .50) from previous step:

4 = .50 * 6 + b
Do the algebra:
4 = .50 * 6 + b
4=3+b
4 - 3 = (3 + b) – 3
1=b
89
(c) Unstandardized equation of the line: y = .50 * x + 1
Explanation:
Obtain unstandardized equation by substituting slope

(m = .50) and intercept (b = 1) from parts (a) and (b) in
General Equation for a Line.
y = m*x + b General Equation for a Line

y = .50*x + 1 Equation of this line (substituting m and b)
Checking your work:
First use point (6, 4). If x = 6, then use equation to find y:
y = .50*x + 1
y = .50 * 6 + 1
y=3+1
y=4
So (6, 4) fits equation.
Next use point (26, 14), If x = 26, then use equation to find y:
y = .50*x + 1
y = .50 * 26 + 1
y = 13 + 1
y = 14

90
(d) Standardized slope = ½ or .50
Explanation:
Standardized coordinates: A (-2, -1). B (2, 1)
Rise = 1 – (-1) = 2; Run = 2 – (-2) = 4
Slope = Rise/Run = 2/4 = ½ or .50
(e) Standardized intercept = 0
Explanation:
Choose one point, (2, 1), and substitute in General Equation

for Line.
zy = m * z x + b General Equation:
1=m*2+b Substitute zx and zy

1 = .50 * 2 + b
Do the algebra:
1 = .50 * 2 + b
1=1+b
1 - 1 = (1 + b) – 1
0=b
91
(f) Standardized equation of the line: zy = .50 * zx
Explanation:
Obtain standardized equation by substituting slope (m = .50)

and intercept (b = 0) from parts (a) and (b) in General
Equation for a Line.
zy = m*zx + b General Equation for a Line

zy = .50*zx + 0 Equation of this line (substituting m and b)
zy = .50*zx Drop the zero
Checking your work:
First use point (-2, -1).

If zx = -2, then use equation to find zy:
zy = .50 * zx
zy = .50 * -2
zy = -1
So (-2, -1) fits equation.
Next use point (2, 1). If zx = 2, then use equation to find zy:
zy = .50* zx
zy = .50 * 2
zy = 1

92
Exercise 2
Unstandardized coordinates: Point A (32, 6). Point B (14, 27)
(a) Standardized coordinates: Point A (2, .50).

Point B (-1, -.25)
Explanation:
Unstandardized coordinates (x, y) of Point A are (32, 36).
Mean of X is 20 and Standard Deviation is 6.

So zx for Point A = (Raw Score – Mean) /SD
= (32 – 20) / 6 = 2
Mean of Y is 30 and Standard Deviation is 12.
So zy for Point A = (Raw Score – Mean) /SD
= (36 – 30) / 12 = 6 / 12 = .50
So standardized coordinates (zx, zy) of Point A

are (2, .50).
Unstandardized coordinates (x, y) of Point B are (14, 27).
Mean of X is 20 and Standard Deviation is 6.

So zx for Point B = (Raw Score – Mean) /SD
= (14 – 20) / 6 = (-6) / 6 = -1
Mean of Y is 30 and Standard Deviation is 12.
So zy for Point B = (Raw Score – Mean) /SD
= (27 – 30) / 12
= -3 / 12 = (- ¼) = (-.25)
So standardized coordinates (zx, zy) of Point B

are (-1, -.25).
93
(b) Standardized slope =1/4 = .25
Explanation:
In part (a) of exercise, we learned that

standardized coordinates are: A (2, .50). B (-1, -.25)
Rise = .50 – (-.25) = .75; Run = 2 – (-1) = 3
Slope = Rise/Run = .75/3 = ¼ = .25
(c) Standardized intercept = 0
Explanation:
Choose one point, (2, .50), and substitute in

General Equation for Line.
zy = m * z x + b General Equation:
.50 = m * 2 + b Substitute zx and zy

.50 = .25 * 2 + b
Do the algebra:
.50 = .25 * 2 + b
.50 = .50 + b
.50 - .50 = (.50 + b) – .50
0=b
94
(d) Standardized equation of the line: zy = .25 * zx
Explanation:
Obtain standardized equation by substituting slope (m = .25)

and intercept (b = 0) from parts (a) and (b) in General
Equation for a Line.
zy = m*zx + b General Equation for a Line

zy = .25*zx + 0 Equation of this line (substituting m and b)
zy = .25*zx Drop the zero
Checking your work:
First use point A, (2, 50).

If zx = 2, then use equation to find zy:
zy = .25* zx
zy = .25 * 2
zy = .50
So (2, .50) fits equation.
Next use point B (-1, -.25).

If zx = -1, then use equation to find zy:
zy = .25* zx
zy = .25 * (-1)
zy = -.25
So (-1, -.25) fits equation.

95

Exercise 1
(a) The standardized coordinates of the Point of Averages are

always (0, 0). True
(b) The raw coordinates of the Point of Averages

are always (0, 0). False
Explanation: The raw coordinates of the Point of Averages

are equal to the mean of X and the mean of Y.
(c) The origin of the zx and zy axes is always in the middle

of the points in the scatterplot. True
(d) The origin of the x and y axes is always in the middle

of the points in the scatterplot. False
Explanation: The origin of the x and y axes is usually at

the lower left corner of the scatterplot.
Exercise 2
The points (0, 0) and (1, -1) are the standardized coordinates of
two points on the Positive Z-equal line.
(a) Standardized Slope of the Positive Z-Equal Line is 1.0.
Explanation: Points are (0, 0) and (1, 1)

Rise = (1- 0) = 1 Run = (1- 0) = 1
Slope = 1/1 = 1
96
(b) The standardized intercept of the Positive

Z-Equal line is equal to 0.
Explanation: This line passes through the origin (0, 0) of the

standardized scatterplot. In other words, the line intercepts
the zy axis at the point whose zy coordinate is 0. Therefore, 0
is the line's standardized intercept.
(c) The standardized equation of the Positive Z-Equal Line

can be written as: z y = 1 * zx + 0
Note: The equation zy = 1 * zx + 0 is correct

because the line's slope is 1 and its intercept is 0.
However, we usually simplify the equation

for the Positive z-Equal Line to zy = zx.
Exercise 3
The standardized slope of the Negative Z-equal Line is -1.00
Explanation:
The points with standardized coordinates

(0, 0) and (1, -1) are both on the Negative Z-equal Line.
Rise = (-1- 0) = -1 Run = (1 - 0) = 1

Slope = -1/1 = -1
97
Exercise 4
(a) The Point of Averages is always on the

Positive z-Equal Line. True
(b) The Point of Averages is always on the

Negative z-Equal Line True
(c) The origin of the x and y axes is always on

the Positive z-Equal Line False
Explanation: The origin of the zx and zy axes is always on the

Positive z-Equal Line, but the origin of the x and y axes
is usually not on the Positive z-Equal Line.
(d)The origin of the zx and zy axes is always on

the Positive z-Equal Line True
Exercise 5
The Positive z-Equal Line and the Negative z-Equal Line meet
at the origin of the zx and zy axes.
The standardized coordinates of this origin are (0, 0).

Chapter 5. Scatterplots

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1

The chapters after this one describe correlation and regression,

Algebra Basics: Graphing On The Coordinate Plane (Math Antics)

Coordinate Plane and Plotting Points

Plotting Points on the Coordinate Plane (Mathispower4u)

Introduction to the Coordinate Plane (Khan Academy)

Graphing in Algebra: Ordered Pairs and the Coordinate Plane

The Coordinate Plane (Anywhere Math)

Section 1. Introduction to scatterplots

Table 1a. Ages and Grade Levels of Six Children.

Child Age (x) Grade (y)

Figure 1b. Scatterplot showing Michael's Age and Grade.

The position of the red point on the scatterplot tells us Michael's

Here are the essential points about plotting a point on a scatterplot:

(1) We begin with an ordered pair of numbers for a particular

(4) The ordered pair can be drawn as a point on a type of graph

(6) The position of a point on the scatterplot tells us a person's

which is called the "y-coordinate." In this example, when we look

(8) Scatterplots do not usually show arrows going from a point to

Now that you understand how ordered pairs are plotted on a

Figure 1c. Scatterplot showing a child in Table 1a.

We do not know yet which child is represented by the red dot in

Now it's your turn to practice plotting a point on a scatter point.

Here's how to plot the point for Katia:

(1) Write down an ordered pair that represents

(2) Make a drawing of a scatterplot that looks like Figure 1d.

(3) Plot the ordered pair for Katia on the scatterplot.

(a) First find 7 (Katia's x-coordinate) on the x-axis of the

(b) Next find 2 (Katia's y-coordinate) on the y-axis of the

Figure 1e. Scatterplot showing Katia as a point.

Figure 1f. Scatterplot showing all children in Table 1a.

A second reason why scatterplots are important is that they can

Homework Exercises for Section 1

1. Four points are plotted in the scatterplot below.

3. The place where the two axes meet

Homework exercises continue on the next page.

M (8, 5) N (8, 2 ) O (10, 1)

5. One of the points in Exercise 6 is an outlier. What are the

6. What are the coordinates of the origin of a scatterplot?

Section 2. Lines on Scatterplots: Slope and Intercept

Figure 2a is a scatterplot showing data from 24 people who own

Figure 2a. Scatterplot: Relationship of No. of Pets

Figure 2b. Scatterplot: Relationship of No. of Pets

The blue line in Figure 2b has a y-intercept and a slope. The y-

Figure 2c. Scatterplot: Relationship of No. of Pets

Definition: The y-intercept of a line is the y-coordinate of the

Notice that the x-coordinate of this point must be 0 (zero), because

Definition: Slope = rise/run

To understand this definition, look at the scatterplot in Figure 2d

Figure 2d. Scatterplot: Relationship of No. of Pets

is, upward) is equal to 4, as shown by the green arrow. This

Slope = rise/run = 4/8 = ½ = .50

Figure 2f. Scatterplot: Relationship of No. of Pets

Slope = rise/run = ½ = .50

As you can see, even though we have used two completely

(1) What is the y-intercept for the blue line?

Figure 2e. Scatterplot: A New Line.

1. The y-intercept is 8, because the line crosses the y-axis at 8.

Slope = rise/run = (-2)/6 = - 1/3 = -.3333....