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In the least-squares line \(\hat{y}=5-2 x\), what is the value of the slope? When \(x\) changes by 1 unit, by how much does \(\hat{y}\) change?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The slope is -2, indicating that y decreases by 2 when x increases by 1.

Step by step solution

01

Identify the Slope in the Equation

The equation of a line in the context of a least-squares line or linear regression is usually written in the form \( \hat{y} = mx + b \), where \( m \) is the slope and \( b \) is the y-intercept. In the given equation, \( \hat{y} = 5 - 2x \), the term with \( x \) is \( -2x \). Hence, the coefficient of \( x \), which is \(-2\), is the slope.
02

Understand the Meaning of Slope Change

The slope of a line \( m \) indicates how much the dependent variable \( \hat{y} \) changes for a one-unit change in the independent variable \( x \). A slope of \(-2\) means that for every increase of 1 unit in \( x \), \( \hat{y} \) decreases by 2 units.

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Key Concepts

These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.

Understanding Least-Squares in Linear Regression
Least-squares is a fundamental method in statistics, widely used to find the best-fitting line through a set of data points. This method minimizes the sum of the squares of the differences between the observed values and the values predicted by the line, hence the name "least-squares." The goal is to find the line that has the smallest possible vertical distance from all the data points. This approach ensures that the discrepancies between the observed data and the fitted line are minimized.

When you see a least-squares line equation, such as \(\hat{y} = 5 - 2x\), it is derived from this optimization process. In this equation, \(\hat{y}\) represents the predicted or estimated dependent variable for given values of the independent variable \(x\).
  • The least-squares method is crucial for predicting the outcome based on input data.
  • It assumes a linear relationship between the dependent and independent variable.
  • It helps in understanding trends and making data-driven decisions.
Exploring Slope-Intercept Form
The slope-intercept form is a popular way of expressing the equation of a straight line. It is written as \(\hat{y} = mx + b\), where:
  • \(m\) is the slope, which indicates the steepness and direction of the line.
  • \(b\) is the y-intercept, which shows where the line intersects the y-axis when \(x = 0\).
In the equation \(\hat{y} = 5 - 2x\), it follows the slope-intercept format:
  • The slope \(m\) is \(-2\), meaning the line slopes downward as you move from left to right. This tells us that for each increase in \(x\), \(\hat{y}\) decreases by 2 units.
  • The y-intercept \(b\) is \(5\), showing that the line crosses the y-axis at the point (0, 5).
Having the equation in slope-intercept form makes it easier to quickly understand how changes in \(x\) influence \(\hat{y}\) and visualize the line's characteristics on a graph.
Independent vs. Dependent Variables
In the context of linear regression and equations such as \(\hat{y} = 5 - 2x\), it's important to distinguish between dependent and independent variables. These two types of variables have specific roles in a mathematical model:
  • The **independent variable** represents the input or cause. It is plotted along the x-axis. In our equation, \(x\) is the independent variable. You can think of it as the variable we manipulate to observe the effect on \(\hat{y}\).
  • The **dependent variable** indicates the output or effect. It is plotted along the y-axis. In \(\hat{y} = 5 - 2x\), \(\hat{y}\) is the dependent variable, meaning its value depends on the value of \(x\).
Understanding these roles is crucial because the model is used to predict how changes in the independent variable \(x\) will affect the dependent variable \(\hat{y}\). In practical situations, knowing which variable influences the other helps in making informed decisions and analyses based on the model.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

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Do people who spend more time on social networking sites spend more time using Twitter? Megan conducted a study and found that the correlation between the times spent on the two activities was \(0.8\). What does this result say about the relationship between times spent on the two activities? If someone spends more time than average on a social networking site, can you automatically conclude that he or she spends more time than average using Twitter? Explain.

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