Math Problem Statement

The table shows the average length in minutes of professional baseball games in selected years. Year: 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017. Time (min): 169, 175, 175, 176, 184,. 180, and 189. Make a scatter plot and draw a line of best fit.

Solution

To help you with this, I'll outline the steps for creating a scatter plot and finding the line of best fit using the given data. Here's how to approach it:

Given Data:

  • Years: 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017
  • Time (minutes): 169, 175, 175, 176, 184, 180, 189

Steps to Create the Scatter Plot and Line of Best Fit:

  1. Plot the Data Points:

    • Each point will represent a year and its corresponding game length (e.g., for 2005, the point is (2005, 169)).
  2. Draw the Line of Best Fit:

    • Use a linear regression formula or calculator to determine the line that best fits the data.
    • The line of best fit typically has the form y=mx+by = mx + b, where:
      • mm is the slope.
      • bb is the y-intercept.
  3. Calculate the Slope (mm) and Intercept (bb):

    • You can calculate the slope and intercept manually or using software such as Excel, Python, or a graphing calculator.

Calculation Example:

Let's calculate the line of best fit mathematically:

  1. Mean of x-values (years): xˉ=2005+2007+2009+2011+2013+2015+20177=140777=2011\bar{x} = \frac{2005 + 2007 + 2009 + 2011 + 2013 + 2015 + 2017}{7} = \frac{14077}{7} = 2011

  2. Mean of y-values (time): yˉ=169+175+175+176+184+180+1897=12487=178.29\bar{y} = \frac{169 + 175 + 175 + 176 + 184 + 180 + 189}{7} = \frac{1248}{7} = 178.29

  3. Calculate the slope (mm) using the formula: m=(xixˉ)(yiyˉ)(xixˉ)2m = \frac{\sum (x_i - \bar{x})(y_i - \bar{y})}{\sum (x_i - \bar{x})^2}

  4. Determine the intercept (bb): b=yˉmxˉb = \bar{y} - m\bar{x}


Graphing Tools:

You can use tools like Desmos, Excel, or even Python (Matplotlib) to input this data and generate the scatter plot with the line of best fit. If you'd like, I can walk you through the code for plotting in Python or explain further how to do it in Excel.


Would you like a more detailed calculation or help with a specific graphing tool?

Related Questions:

  1. What factors might have contributed to the increase in game duration over the years?
  2. How do you calculate residuals for a

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Math Problem Analysis

Mathematical Concepts

Statistics
Linear Regression
Data Visualization

Formulas

Slope formula: m = Σ((x - x̄)(y - ȳ)) / Σ((x - x̄)^2)
Line of best fit: y = mx + b
Mean calculation: x̄ = Σx / n, ȳ = Σy / n

Theorems

Least Squares Method

Suitable Grade Level

Grades 9-12