Chapter 4 - Statistics GCSE

Scatter Diagrams
Scatter diagrams are a good choice of diagram to represent bivariate data. They show two sets
of Data are associated. Two variables have an association when there is a relationship between
them. If you want to investigate how changing one variable affects the other. The variable you
changed is called the explanatory variable the other is called a dependent variable. The
dependent variable is the one measured
- The response variable is plotted on the y-axis
- The explanatory variable is plotted on the x-axis

Correlation is an association between two variables that shows an increasing or decreasing trend
(as one variable increases the other increases or decreases)
- Strong positive linear correlation
- Weak positive linear correlation
- No correlation
- Weak Negative linear correlation
- Strong negative linear correlation
- Positive non-linear correlation (an increasing trend but non linear correlation)

Causal Relations
When a change in one variable causes a change in another variable there is a causal relationship
between them
Correlation does not necessarily imply a causal relationship

Line Of Best Fit On A Scatter Graph

A line of best fit is a straight line drawn so that the plotted points on a scatter diagram are
easily spread either side of the line. To get a good fit draw your line through the mean point it’s
Σ𝑥 Σ𝑦
sometimes written as̅,
(x ȳ) 𝑥̅ = 𝑛
ȳ= 𝑛

Interpolation And Extrapolation

Using a line of best fit to estimate data values from within the range of data is called
interpolation. As we are estimating the within the range it’s reliable.
Using a line of best fit to estimate data values from outside the range of data is called
extrapolation. As we are estimating outside the range of data it’s unreliable.
Chapter 4 - Statistics GCSE

Regression Lines
In statistics the line of best fit is known as a regression line the general form is y=ax + b
X + Y are the coordinates
A is the gradient
B is the value of the y - intercept

Spearmanas Rank Correlation Coefficient

Spearmans rank correlation coefficient is a measure of the agreement between 2 data sets.
The formula for spearmans rank Rs is rs = 6Σd2 / n (n2 - 1 )
D = difference between corresponding ranks
N = the number of data pairs

Steps
1. Rank data depending on it’s size in the data set (small to big / big to small)
2. Work out the difference between corresponding ranks (total = 0 )
3. Square each difference the values will always be positive
4. + the square differences
5. Use the formula
-1 = perfectly negative
1 = perfectly positive