MATH 1342 Statistics

Lab Assignment: Testing for Linear Correlation (Chapter 10)

Instructor: David Katz

 

In this lab, you will collect and organize data, and test for a linear correlation among the data. You will use the same data you collected for lab #1.

 

Steps To Complete This Lab:

 

  1. Staple the real estate data from lab #1 (price and square footage for 30 properties) onto this lab report.
  2. Label one column of your data as the x-values and the other column as the y-values. If necessary, re-copy your data into a two-column table.
  3. Make a graph of the data using an x-y scatter plot. Label quantity measured on the x-axis and the y-axis.
  4. Leave plenty of space for a caption for your graph. Inside the caption for the scatter plot, describe the linear correlation (positive, negative, none) in one or two sentences (e.g., positive linear correlation between                                      and                            .)
  5. Underneath the caption, write out the procedure to test for linear correlation (e.g., state the hypotheses, claim, critical value, test statistic, explain why you reject or fail to reject H0, make a final conclusion about linear correlation, etc.). Refer to page 526 as a guideline for how to test for linear correlation.
  6. For a value not in the original list of x-values, predict the corresponding y-value if there is a linear correlation among the data. Refer to page 546 as a guideline on making predictions. State your prediction in a complete sentence (e.g., for the x-value of                                , the predicted y-value is                                 .) Be sure to use correct units of measurement.
  7. In your concluding remarks, describe the domain of your data (e.g., x > 0 but less than some value you specify).

 

How You Are Graded (e.g., 48 out of 50 total points equals a grade of 96):

 

Item

Points

Copy of your data from lab #1

5

Summarize your x and y-values in a table

5

Meaningful Caption for Scatter Plot

5

Horizontal Axis of  Scatter Plot Labeled

5

Vertical Axis of Scatter Plot Labeled

5

Do a hypothesis test for linear correlation (p.526)

15

Make a prediction based on p. 546

5

Conclusion about domain

5

TOTAL POINTS

50

 

 

Typing the report is not necessary, but remember neatness counts! If I cannot read your report, I cannot grade it! Your finished report should be about 1-2 pages.

 

I encourage you to work together with your classmates to help write up the lab and/or find good articles with data tables. However, please don’t just copy verbatim a classmate’s lab report and hand it in as your own!

 

 

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