Question

Choose the best explanation that describes in words what the numerical value of the slope tells you.

Answer 1

Data for the question :

Sea surface temperature 26.7 26.6 26.6 26.5 26.3 26.1

Growth 0.85 0.85 0.79 0.86 0.89 0.92

Answer:

d. Every increase in sea surface temperature of one degree Celsius will result in an average of 0.1578 fewer centimeters of coral growth per year.

Step-by-step explanation:

Given the data :

Surface Temperature (X) : 26.7 26.6 26.6 26.5 26.3 26.1

Growth (Y) : 0.85 0.85 0.79 0.86 0.89 0.92

Using a regression calculator, we can find the model equation and extract the slope :

The regression equation obtained is :

y=5.039-0.1578x

From y = mx + c

Where m = gradient or slope

c = intercept

x and y are predictor and predicted variables respectively.

Hence, the gradient or slope (m) of the model = - 0.157. We have a negative slope, hence, increase in x will result una decrease in y.

The slope thus means: for every 1 degree increase in sea surface temperature (x), there is an average decline of about 0.1578 cm in growth per year.