Just how far off is the least squares line? Using a graphing calculator, individuals or pairs create residual plots in order to determine how well a best fit line models data. Three examples walk through the calculator procedure of finding a residual plot. 

Concepts

scatter plots, linear modeling, bivariate data, data analysis

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Additional Tags

math

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Instructional Ideas

• Bring the lesson to your existing unit on scatter plots to augment the main concepts, or based your unit on the activity itself
• Send home part of the assignment before or after your classroom instruction

Classroom Considerations

• Requires graphing calculators
• Uses the least-squares linear regression method, but any method of finding a line of best fit will work
• Lesson 17 of a 20-lesson module

Pros

• Exit ticket provided to determine understanding of the concept
• Effective within the sequence of the module or within another unit on scatter plots and linear models

Cons

• None

Common Core

HSS-ID.B.6.a HSS-ID.B.6.b HSS-ID.B.6.c MP2 MP5