Question

Choose the best explanation that describes in words what the numerical value of the slope tells you.

a. Every increase in coral growth of one centimeter will result in an average of 5.25 fewer degrees Celsius of sea surface temperature per year.
b. Every increase in coral growth of one centimeter will result in an average of 5.25 more degrees Celsius of sea surface temperature per year.
c. Every increase in sea surface temperature of one degree Celsius will result in an average of 0.1578 more centimeters of coral growth per year.
d. Every increase in sea surface temperature of one degree Celsius will result in an average of 0.1578 fewer centimeters of coral growth per year.

Answer 1

Data for the question :

Sea surface temperature 26.7 26.6 26.6 26.5 26.3 26.1

Growth 0.85 0.85 0.79 0.86 0.89 0.92

Answer:

d. Every increase in sea surface temperature of one degree Celsius will result in an average of 0.1578 fewer centimeters of coral growth per year.

Explanation:

Given the data :

Surface Temperature (X) : 26.7 26.6 26.6 26.5 26.3 26.1

Growth (Y) : 0.85 0.85 0.79 0.86 0.89 0.92

Using a regression calculator, we can find the model equation and extract the slope :

The regression equation obtained is :

y=5.039-0.1578x

From y = mx + c

Where m = gradient or slope

c = intercept

x and y are predictor and predicted variables respectively.

Hence, the gradient or slope (m) of the model = - 0.157. We have a negative slope, hence, increase in x will result una decrease in y.

The slope thus means: for every 1 degree increase in sea surface temperature (x), there is an average decline of about 0.1578 cm in growth per year.