Answer:
B. 45
Explanation:
A scatter plot is a visual representation of a dataset, where individual data points are depicted as points on a two-dimensional coordinate system. Its purpose is to illustrate the relationship or correlation between two variables. In the provided scatterplot, the independent variable (x) represents the number of hours an individual uses a computer, while the dependent variable (y) indicates the amount of excess weight they carry.
To estimate the weight gain an individual might experience after spending 8 hours per day using a computer, we utilize a line of best fit on the scatterplot. The line of best fit is a straight line that represents the general trend in a scatter plot by minimizing the overall difference between the data points and the line.
From observation of the line of best fit, we can predict that if someone were to spend 8 hours daily on a computer, they could potentially gain 45 pounds of excess weight.
Additional Notes
Typically, linear regression analysis would be used to derive the equation for the line of best fit. In this context, when applying linear regression to this dataset, the equation obtained is y = 3.857x + 9. Substituting x = 8 into this equation yields an approximate value of y ≈ 40 (rounded to the nearest integer). However, since this result does not align with any of the provided answer choices, it seems that the question is asking us to visually sketch the best-fit line on the graph, rather than depending on linear regression to calculate it.