User:Isaiahil/sandbox

interpreting slope and intercept. The easiest way to understand and interpret slope and intercept in linear models is to first understand the slope-intercept formula: y = mx + b. M is the slope or the consistent change between x and y, and b is the y-intercept. Often, the y-intercept represents the starting point of the equation.auren is collecting information for her auto mechanics class. She surveys six different auto mechanic shops in her town and collects information to see if there is a relationship between the number of times the oil is changed in a vehicle and the longevity in the engine of the vehicle. Once she gathers her information, Lauren puts all of it into a scatterplot with a regression line. Now that she has collected all of her data, how can she interpret this data into usable information?

In this lesson, you will learn how to interpret the meaning of slope and y-intercept in different examples of linear models. Identifying Slope and Intercept

A linear model is a comparison of two values, usually x and y, and the consistent change between those values. The easiest way to understand and interpret slope and intercept in linear models is to first understand the slope-intercept formula: y = mx + b. M is the slope or the consistent change between x and y, and b is the y-intercept. Often, the y-intercept represents the starting point of the equation.

Take a look at this graph:

Regression Line image of graphs with regression line

The line in the center is known as a regression line, a straight line that attempts to predict the relationship between two points. This relationship is the same thing as the slope, and you may also hear the terms consistent change or interval. These three words are used interchangeably and mean the same thing in this case. The points around this line represent the data that is collected in this scenario. The equation for this line is y = .3136x + .2644. Interpreting Slope

Let's take a look at our regression equation. For this scenario we have .3136 and .2644. .3136 is the slope in this equation, and .2644 is the intercept in this equation. First, let's talk about slope and how we can interpret slope in this equation. Remember that the slope is the consistent change, or the relationship between two variables, in a linear model.

For example, let's say you were getting paid eight dollars an hour at your job. The rate, eight dollars, would be multiplied by the number of hours that you worked to get how much you should be paid for the week. In this case, the two variables are the number of hours you worked and how much you get paid for the week. The relationship between the number of hours you work and how much you get paid is the amount you get paid per hour. In this case, you know the relationship between the two variables ahead of time, but sometimes you know the variables and not the relationship, also known as the slope.

Notice on our equation that slope is .3136. So what does this mean? Remember, our two variables are the number of times the oil is changed in the vehicle and the longevity of the engine. The slope is a positive number, which means that when the one variable increases, the other also increases. Just like the amount you get paid at the end of the week increases when the number of hours you work increases, so does the longevity of your engine increase as the number of times you change out the oil increases.

Since a positive slope tells us there is a positive relationship between the two variables, what does the number .3136 tell us? Remember, in the previous scenario, the eight told us how much you were being paid per hour. In this example, .3136 shows us how much the longevity of your engine increases.

Let's look at it like this. You have your vehicle sitting in your garage. Maybe you've had it for a couple of years. Each time you change the oil out in your vehicle increases the likelihood that the engine will last by .3136 years. That's right! In this case, the slope represents the number of years that you increase your engine's lifespan every time you change the oil. Remember, this is just an example, and statistics doesn't always show us the full picture. Obviously, if your vehicle's engine is broken, changing the oil in it several times won't fix the problem! Now that you understand slope in this scenario, let's move on to the intercept.