Question

Which graph correctly shows the line of best fit for the data?


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Answer 1

I can’t see the images you uploaded. Could you either re-upload them or describe each scatterplot and the four candidate lines (or give the data points)?

Meanwhile, here’s a quick way to choose the correct “line of best fit” by eye:

- Identify the overall trend (positive slope, negative slope, or no trend).
- The best-fit line should pass through the “center” of the cloud of points — roughly the average x and average y location.
- About as many points should lie above the line as below it (the line balances the points).
- The line should follow the trend, not be pulled to fit one outlier. It should minimize the vertical distances from the points (in a least-squares sense).
- To check a candidate line quickly: pick two well-centered points on opposite sides of the plot, draw the line through them, and count how many points are above vs. below; the counts should be similar and the distances fairly small.

If you give the images again or supply the data points, I’ll pick which graph is correct and explain why.