Final answer:
The value of s (4.80079) represents the average residual, indicating an average difference of about 5 gallons from the predicted values of water remaining in a tank at any given hour.
Step-by-step explanation:
The value of s, commonly known as the standard deviation of the residuals, is a measure of the typical difference between the observed values and the values predicted by the model. In the context provided, a calculator or computer software was used to calculate the value of s as 4.80079, which represents that the average residual for the relationship between the number of hours and the number of gallons of water remaining in a tank is about 5 gallons. This indicates there is an average difference of approximately 5 gallons from what the model predicts at any given hour.