Final answer:
Changing the independent variable's unit of measurement will affect both the slope and intercept of a regression equation since the slope represents the rate of change and the intercept is the baseline measurement.
Step-by-step explanation:
Changing the unit of measurement of an independent variable affects both the intercept and slope coefficient of a regression equation. When you change the scale of the independent variable, the slope coefficient will change because the slope represents the rate of change of the dependent variable with respect to the independent variable. If the unit of the independent variable is changed, the amount by which the dependent variable changes for a one-unit increase in the independent variable will also change, thus altering the slope. Similarly, the intercept will change because it represents the value of the dependent variable when the independent variable is zero, and changing the units of the independent variable also shifts the baseline from which we measure.
For instance, if we were examining the relationship between the temperature (independent variable) and the consumption of ice cream (dependent variable), and we switched the temperature from degrees Celsius to degrees Fahrenheit, the numerical value of the slope (rate of ice cream consumption per degree change) and the y-intercept (ice cream consumption at 0 degrees) would both change accordingly to accommodate the new units.