Question 7f (2 marks)

The graph below shows immigrants as a percentage of the population of USA from 1970 to 2018.

Immigrants in USA as a percentage of the population

16

14

12

10

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Draw a line of best fit on the graph.

Question 7g (10 marks)

Analyze the line of best fit obtained in part (f). You should:

 Justify the line of best fit.

 Identify the factors
 Identify the year in which the immigrants will exceed the native population.
 Estimate of the year in which immigrant population in USA will exceed half of the population
of USA.
 Ensure suitable degree of accuracy.
 Justify whether the result makes sense in context of the data provided.

Answer 7f
 Immigrants in USA as a percentage of the population
16

14

12

10

0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

The line of best fit lies in the middle of the two red lines passing from the data point. Therefore, the
dotted line is the line of best fit.

Answer 7g

Let x be the time (in years). Therefore, for the equation of line, c=2.5

y 2017− y 1970 13.7−4.5

m= = =0.196
2017−1970 47
Therefore, the line of best fit is given by:

y=0.196 x +2.5
Estimation for the year 2018:

For the year 2018, x=48,

y=0.196× 48+ 2.5=11.908 ≈ 12

This means that in year 2018, approximately 12% of USA population were immigrants but as
deduced in part (d) there are 14% immigrants. The line of best fit give us the estimate of for the
percentage of immigrants in the USA population but there is an error. If the exact value of the
percentage is taken from part (d) and the equation of best fit,

Form part (d): Observed Immigrant Percentage=13.75 %

From the equation of line of best fit Estimated Immigrant Percentage=11.908 %
 Observed Value−Estimated Value
Error= ×100
Observed Value
13.75−11.908
¿ =0.093
13.75
Therefore, the equation of line of best fit has an error of 0.093.

Also the slope of the line is positive which indicates that the line is increasing so there will be growth
in the percentage of immigrants in the upcoming years. Some of the factors for this growth are birth
rate, economic status, environmental condition etc.

The year in which the immigrants will exceed the native population:

y % of total population> total population

0.196 x +2.5>1
1−2.5
x> =−7.65
0.196
Since the value of x is negative that indicates, that after the year 1970−7=1963 , there were more
immigrants than the native population.

The year in which immigrant population in USA will exceed half of the population of USA:

y % of total population>50 % of total population

1
0.196 x +2.5>
2
1
−2.5
2
x> =−10.2
0.196
Since the value of x is negative that indicates, that after the year 1970−10=1960 , the number of
immigrants will exceed half of the population of USA.

Though the line of best fit has an error of 0.093 which estimated that after 1960s, the population of
immigrants increased in USA.