Introductory worksheet for regression lines.

If you want an activity to get started in this chapter, here is a worksheet on regression. (rtf file for editing.)

In this worksheet, a small simple dataset is given and we, by hand,

• plot the data
• find the summary statistics of both variables
• find the slope and intercept of the regression line
• write the equation of the regression line
• use the equation to make predictions for two different values of x
• use those two predictions to sketch a graph of the regression line on the scatterplot of the data
• compute one residual
• use the line to predict y for a new x value
• interpret the y-intercept of the regression equation
• interpret the slope of the regression equation.

Answers to the problems in the worksheet. (rtf file for editing)

After using this worksheet to get the overview, then in the homework from the text, when you are asked to do various tasks from that list for various exercises, you will have a better understanding of how those tasks fit into the bigger picture.

In most of the exercises in this chapter, we use technology for the computations, since the main focus of this course is on interpretation and understanding rather than computations. The computations by hand are to illustrate the concepts in order to enhance understanding.

Last updated September 15, 2007 . Mary Parker