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Which of the lines is the best fit for the data in each scatter plot? Explain your reasoning.
Your teacher will give you a set of cards that show scatter plots.
The weight of ice cream sold in a day at a small store in pounds () and the average temperature outside during the day in degrees Celsius () are recorded in the table.
| 20 | 18 | 21 | 17 | 21.5 | 19.5 | 21 | 18 | |
| 6 | 4.5 | 6.5 | 3.5 | 7.5 | 6.5 | 7 | 5 |
Some data appear to have a linear relationship, so finding an equation for a line that fits the data can help us understand the relationship between the variables.
Other data may follow nonlinear trends or not have an apparent trend at all.
When modeling data with a linear function seems useful, it is important to find a linear function that is close to the data. The line should have a -intercept and slope that follow the shape of the data represented by the scatter plot as much as possible.
Technology can be used to quickly find a line of best fit for the data and provide the equation of the line that we can use to analyze the situation.