Data

Best Fit Line

source: Elementary and Middle School Mathematics: Teaching Developmentally by John A. Van De Walle, Karen S. Karp, and Jennifer M. Bay-Williams. Activity 21.4

Materials:

• Data that students have already collected 
• copy of scatter plot for each group of students
• uncooked spaghetti noodles
• tape
• projection device

Directions:

• Give each group of students a copy of the scatter plot
• have them try to put the spaghetti noodle so that it is the best line 
• students should develop rational explaining why they put their lines where they did
• students should write equation for their line
• then the teacher should use a projection device to compare the lines chosen by different groups
• the data from different choices should be used to predict data for the new value