8

Curve Fitting: Regression and Correlation Analysis

8.1 Introduction

The main objective of many statistical investigations is to make predictions. Such predictions require that a formula is found which relates the dependent variable to one or more independent variables.

Suppose that a dependent variable is to be predicted in terms of an independent variable. In such a case, the independent variable is observed without error or with a negligible error when compared with an error in the dependent ­variable. Though the independent variable is fixed at x, repeated measurements of the ­dependent variable may lead to y values, which differ considerably. In most situations of this kind, we are interested in the relationship between x and the mean ...

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