For this discussion, use your Excel Build-a-Function spreadsheet to input your third set of data points to evaluate that point on the graph and determine if the two variables are related

Throughout the discussions in this course, you will be exploring a real-world situation that will involve two related factors that can be measured numerically. You will first conduct some research to collect data and then apply what you learn throughout the class about problem solving, equations, and graphing to better understand the relationship between the two factors.

For this discussion, identify a topic that includes two potentially related factors that can be measured numerically. Your topic should be in the form of a question: “How is _____ related to _____” ?

1. Click Build a Function to download the graphing tool.
2. Enter the data points in sets of two.
3. Post the slope-intercept form of the equation for your data.
4. Explain how you determined the slope from the two data points.
5. Post the equation that results from your data in the form of a function.
6. Looking at the spreadsheet, what does it predict your third value will be? What does this suggest to you?

PART two:

For this discussion, use your Excel Build-a-Function spreadsheet to input your third set of data points to evaluate that point on the graph and determine if the two variables are related.

Discuss the following information in your initial post:

• Describe the graph to your classmates or upload a picture of your graph.
• Is the data the different from what you expected based the first two data points? What does that mean? How much does your third point differ from what the first two points predicted?
• When looking at the graph, do you still believe the factors are related? If so, how? In other words, when one factor increases, what happens to the other?
• What other factors related to the variables may have affected the relationship between them?
• How could we apply the information about the relationship (or lack of relationship) between these factors in the real world?

PART three:

In your final discussion, reflect on what you learned from this exercise and consider how you might use this approach in the future. Post your responses to the following questions:

• What did you learn from using real data in an equation?
• Do you think that this exercise included enough data to produce a reliable result? Why or why not?
• Provide another example of two real-world variables whose relationship might be useful for you to analyze using this method.