Two students have examined the scatter plot shown and have created a line of best fit for the data.

Question

Fred believes that the line of best fit for the data is y=−2x+24 

George believes that the line of best fit for the data is . y=1.5x+23. 

Graph- (23,0), (23,1),(19,2),(19,3),(17,4),(14,5),(14,6),(11,7),(8,8),(8,9),(5,10) 

Determine which student (Fred or George) created a better line of best fit given the data in the graph. Justify your answer using mathematics. 

Answer 1

Hi, If you pot out the points, they are a negative slope. Fred is the only person that has an equation with a negative slope, I would say his would have to be the best one. If you draw a best fit line, you can calculate the slope m=(y2-y1)/(x2-x1)

y=−2x+24