Final answer:
Regression analysis is used to determine the strength of the linear relationship between variables, which includes drawing a scatter plot, calculating the least-squares line, and finding the correlation coefficient for interpretation. The correct option is B.
Step-by-step explanation:
Using regression analysis will give you the linear relationship and how strong that relationship is or is not and will help you determine whether all conditions are met. To understand this relationship, one should:
- Decide which variable should be the independent variable and which should be the dependent variable.
- Draw a scatter plot of the data to visually inspect the relationship.
- Determine if there is a relationship between the variables. This can sometimes be seen from the scatter plot.
- Calculate the least-squares line and put the equation in the form ŷ = a + bx to get the line of best fit.
- Find the correlation coefficient to quantify the strength of the relationship.
- Interpret the significance of the correlation coefficient to assess the usefulness of the regression.
If the correlation coefficient is significant and the scatter plot shows a linear pattern, then the linear relationship between the independent and dependent variables is strong, justifying the use of the regression line to make predictions.