Statistics Lesson #2

Topic: Centers and Spreads

Grade Level: 7-12

NCTM Standards: Numbers and Operations, Data Analysis and Probability, Communication, Problem Solving, Connections, Representation

Students will work in groups to do the following:

1. Use a graphing calculator to enter the data below for the height and navel to floor distance for a group of college students.

1. Make a scatter plot of the data.

2. Find the equation of the line that best fits the data by:

a. The least mean error method

b. The least squares best fitting line method.

c. Graphing calculator statistics linear regression.

3. Compare the results from each method and comment briefly on the merits of each method.

4. Explain what the slope of the line means in terms of the variables.

5. What are the units of the slope?

6. Predict a value of the height and distance from navel to floor in cm, given your best regression equation.

7. What is the covariance?

8. Find the correlation coefficient and explain what it means in terms of the variables.

1. Find an article in a newspaper or magazine with data that describes a linear function. Attach a copy of the article to your assignment and highlight the part of the article that describes the linear function.

2. Enter the data in a spreadsheet.

3. Make a scatter plot of the data.

4. Find the equation of the line that best fits the data by:

a. The least mean error method

b. The least squares best fitting line method.

c. Graphing calculator statistics linear regression.

5. Compare the results from each method and comment briefly on the merits of each method.

6. Explain what the slope of the line means in terms of the variables.

7. What are the units of the slope?

8. Predict a value of the height and distance from navel to floor in cm, given your best regression equation.

9. What is the covariance?

10. Find the correlation coefficient and explain what it means in terms of the variables.