INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE

Mathematics: analysis and approaches

MAA SL

EXERCISES MAA SL 4.4

LINEAR REGRESSION

Compiled by Christos Nikolaidis

A. Practice questions

1. [Maximum mark: 10] [with GDC]

Consider the following data
x 1 2 3 4
y 2 3 7 8

(a) Find the correlation coefficient r. [1]

(b) Describe the relation between x and y. [2]
(c) Find the equation y = ax+b of the regression line for y on x. [2]
(d) Find the equation x = cy+d of the regression line for x on y. [2]
(e) Find the inverse of the function in question (c); Is it the function in question (d)? [3]

B. Past paper questions (SHORT)

2. [Maximum mark: 4] [without GDC]

Statements I, II, III, IV, V represent descriptions of the correlation between two variables
I High positive linear correlation
II Low positive linear correlation
III No correlation
IV Low negative linear correlation
V High negative linear correlation

Which statement best represents the relationship between the two variables shown in
each of the scatter diagrams below.
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(a) y (b) y y (d) y
(c)
10 10 10 10

8 8 8 8

6 6 6 6

4 4 4 4

2 2 2 2

0 2 4 6 8 10 x 0 2 4 6 8 10 x 0 2 4 6 8 10 x 0 2 4 6 8 10 x

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3. [Maximum mark: 7] [without GDC]

The sketches below represent scatter diagrams for the way in which variables x, y and
z change over time, t, in a given chemical experiment.

They are labelled 1 , 2 and 3 .

x y z

× × × ××
× × × ×
× × ×
× × × ××
× ×
×× ×× ×
× × × ××
× × × × ××
× ×
× × × ×× × ×
××
× ×
1 time t 2 time t 3 time t

(a) State which of the diagrams indicate that the pair of variables
(i) is not correlated. (ii) shows strong linear correlation. [2]

(b) A student is given a piece of paper with five numbers written on it. She is told that
three of these numbers are the product moment correlation coefficients for the
three pairs of variables shown above. The five numbers are
0.9, –0.85, –0.20, 0.04, 1.60
(i) For each sketch above state which of these five numbers is the most
appropriate value for the correlation coefficient. [3]
(ii) For the two remaining numbers, state why you reject them for this
experiment. [2]

4. [Maximum mark: 4] [without GDC]

The length and width of 10 leaves are shown on the scatter diagram below.
Relationship between leaf length and width

70
60
50
Width
(mm) 40
30
20
10

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160

Length (mm)
(a) Plot the point M(97, 43) which represents the mean length and the mean width. [1]
(b) Draw a suitable line of best fit. [2]
(c) Write a sentence describing the relationship between leaf length and leaf width for
this sample. [1]

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5. [Maximum mark: 5] [with GDC]

Ten students were asked for their average grade at the end of their last year of high
school and their average grade at the end of their last year at university. The results
were put into a table as follows:

Student High School grade, x University grade, y

1 90 3.2
2 75 2.6
3 80 3.0
4 70 1.6
5 95 3.8
6 85 3.1
7 90 3.8
8 70 2.8
9 95 3.0
10 85 3.5
Total 835 30.4

(a) Find the correlation coefficient r. [1]

(b) Describe the correlation between the high school and the university grades. [2]
(c) Find the equation of the regression line for y on x. [2]

6. [Maximum mark: 5] [without GDC]

The diagram below shows the marks scored by pupils in a French test and a German
test. The mean score on the French test is 29 marks and on the German test is 31
marks.

40

30

GERMAN
20

10

0 10 20 30 40
FRENCH
(a) Describe the relationship between the scores. [1]
(b) On the graph mark the point M which represents the mean of the distribution. [1]
(c) Draw a suitable line of best fit. [2]
(d) Idris scored 32 marks on the French test. Use your graph to estimate the mark
Idris scored on the German test. [1]
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7. [Maximum mark: 5] [without GDC]

A group of 15 students was given a test on mathematics. The students then played a
computer game. The diagram below shows the scores on the test and the game.

100
90
80
70
Game 60
score 50

40 M
30
20
10
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95
Mathematics score

The point M corresponding to the means has coordinates (56.9, 45.9).

(a) Describe the relationship between the two sets of scores. [1]
(b) On the diagram draw the straight line of best fit given that it passes through the
point (0, 69). [2]

Jane took the tests late and scored 45 at mathematics.

(c) Using your graph or otherwise, estimate the score Jane expects on the computer
game, giving your answer to the nearest whole number. [2]

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8. [Maximum mark: 6] [with GDC]

The following table gives the heights and weights of five sixteen-year-old boys.

Name Height Weight

Blake 182 cm 73 kg

Jorge 173 cm 68 kg

Chin 162 cm 60 kg

Ravi 178 cm 66 kg

Derek 190 cm 75 kg

(a) Find
(i) the mean height;
(ii) the mean weight. [2]

(b) Plot the above data on the grid below and draw the line of best fit.

190

185

180

175
height
(cm)
170

165

160

0
60 65 70 75
weight (kg)
[4]

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9. [Maximum mark: 6] [with GDC]

Eight students in Mr. O'Neil's Physical Education class did pushups and situps. Their
results are shown in the following table.

Student 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

number of pushups (x) 24 18 32 51 35 42 45 25

number of situps (y) 32 28 38 40 30 52 48 52

The graph below shows the results for the first seven students.
y

60

50
number
of 40
situps
(y) 30

20

10

O 10 20 30 40 50 60 x
number of pushups (x)

(a) Plot the results for the eighth student on the graph. [1]
(b) Find x and y , and draw a line of best fit on the graph. [4]
(c) A student can do 60 pushups. How many situps can the student be expected to
do? [1]

10. [Maximum mark: 4] [with GDC]

Ten students were given two tests, one on Mathematics and one on English.
The table shows the results of the tests for each of the ten students.

Student A B C D E F G H I J
Mathematics (x) 8.6 13.4 12.8 9.3 1.3 9.4 13.1 4.9 13.5 9.6
English (y) 33 51 30 48 12 23 46 18 36 50

(a) Find correct to two decimal places, the correlation coefficient (r). [2]
(b) Use your result from part (a) to comment on the statement:
'Those who do well in Mathematics also do well in English. [2]

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11. [Maximum mark: 6] [with GDC]

The following table gives the amount of fuel in a car's fuel tank, and the number of
kilometres travelled after filling the tank.

Distance travelled (km) 0 220 276 500 680 850

Amount of fuel in tank (litres) 55 43 30 24 10 6

(a) On the scatter diagram below, plot the remaining points. [2]

60
×
Fuel in litres

40
×
× ×
20

0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
Distance in km
The mean distance travelled is 421 km ( x ), and the mean amount of fuel in the tank is
28 litres ( y ). This point is plotted on the scatter diagram.
(b) Sketch the line of best fit. [3]
(c) A car travelled 350km. Use your line above to estimate the amount of fuel left in
the tank. [1]

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C. Past paper questions (LONG)

12. [Maximum mark: 7] [with GDC]

It is decided to take a random sample of 10 students to see if there is any linear
relationship between height and shoe size. The results are given in the table below.

Height (cm) Shoe size

(x) (y)

175 8

160 9

180 8

155 7

178 10

159 8

166 9

185 11

189 10

173 9

(a) Write down the equation of the regression line of shoe size (y) on height (x),
giving your answer in the form y = mx + c. [2]

(b) Use your equation in part (a) to predict the shoe size of a student who is 162 cm
in height. [2]

(c) Write down the correlation coefficient. [1]

(d) Describe the correlation between height and shoe size. [2]

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13. [Maximum mark: 8] [with GDC]

The Type Fast secretarial training agency has a new computer software spreadsheet
package. The agency investigates the number of hours it takes people of varying ages
to reach a level of proficiency using this package. Fifteen individuals are tested and the
results are summarised in the table below.

Age
32 40 21 45 24 19 17 21 27 54 33 37 23 45 18
(x)
Time (in h)
10 12 8 15 7 8 6 9 11 16 10 13 9 17 5
(y)

(a) (i) Find the correlation coefficient r for this data.

(ii) What does the value of the correlation coefficient suggest about the
relationship between the two variables? [2]

(b) Write down the equation of the regression line for y on x in the form y = ax + b. [2]
(c) Use your equation for the regression line to predict
(i) the time that it would take a 30 year old person to reach proficiency, giving
your answer correct to the nearest hour;
(ii) the age of a person who would take 8 hours to reach proficiency, giving
your answer correct to the nearest year. [4]

14. [Maximum mark: 12] [with GDC]

The heights and weights of 10 students selected at random are shown in the table
below.
Student 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Height
155 161 173 150 182 165 170 185 175 145
x cm
Weight
50 75 80 46 81 79 64 92 74 108
y kg

(a) Plot this information on a scatter graph. Use a scale of 1 cm to represent 20 cm

on the x-axis and 1 cm to represent 10 kg on the y-axis. [4]
(b) Calculate the mean height. [1]
(c) Calculate the mean weight. [1]
(d) (i) Find the equation of the line of best fit.
(ii) Draw the line of best fit on your graph. [3]
(e) Use your line to estimate
(i) the weight of a student of height 190 cm;
(ii) the height of a student of weight 72 kg. [2]
(f) It is decided to remove the data for student number 10 from all calculations.
Explain briefly what effect this will have on the line of best fit. [1]
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15. [Maximum mark: 12] [without GDC]

A shopkeeper wanted to investigate whether or not there was a correlation between the
prices of food 10 years ago in 1992, with their prices today. He chose 8 everyday items
and the prices are given in the table below.

sugar milk eggs rolls tea bags coffee potatoes flour

1992 price $ 1.44 $ 0.80 $ 2.16 $ 1.80 $ 0.92 $ 3.16 $ 1.32 $ 1.12
2002 price $ 2.20 $ 1.04 $ 2.64 $ 3.00 $ 1.32 $ 2.28 $ 1.92 $ 1.44

(a) Calculate the mean and the standard deviation of the prices
(i) in 1992;
(ii) in 2002. [4]
(b) (i) Find the correlation coefficient.
(ii) Comment on the relationship between the prices. [3]
(c) Find the equation of the line of the best fit in the form y = mx + c. [2]
(d) What would you expect to pay now for an item costing $2.60 in 1992? [1]
(e) Which item would you omit to increase the correlation coefficient? [2]

16. [Maximum mark: 12] [without GDC]

The following are the results of a survey of the scores of 10 people on both a
mathematics (x) and a science (y) aptitude test:
Student Mathematics (x) Science (y)
1 90 85
2 38 60
3 58 78
4 85 70
5 73 65
6 82 71
7 56 80
8 73 90
9 95 96
10 80 85

(a) Plot this information on a scatter graph. Use a scale of 1 cm to represent 10 units
on the x-axis and 1 cm to represent 10 units on the y-axis. [4]
(b) Find and plot the point M ( x , y ) on the graph. [2]
(c) Find the equation of the regression line of y on x in the form y = ax + b. [2]
(d) Graph this line on the above graph. [2]
(e) Given that a student receives an 88 on the mathematics test, what would you
expect this student's science score to be? Show how you arrived at your result. [2]

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