About Least-Squares Regression
Create your own scatter plot or use real-world data and try to fit a line to it! Explore how individual data points affect the correlation coefficient and best-fit line.
How to play Least-Squares Regression
Everything is hands-on: drag, click and experiment — the simulation reacts instantly. Create your own scatter plot or use real-world data and try to fit a line to it!
Questions & answers
- What is Least-Squares Regression?
- Least-Squares Regression is a free interactive simulation from PhET Interactive Simulations (University of Colorado Boulder) that you can play right in your browser on crumble.lol — no downloads and no sign-up. Create your own scatter plot or use real-world data and try to fit a line to it! Explore how individual data points affect the correlation coefficient and best-fit line.
- What can kids learn from Least-Squares Regression?
- It helps kids explore: interpret r (the correlation coefficient) as data points are added, moved, or removed. interpret the sum of the squared residuals while manually fitting a line. interpret the sum of the squared residuals of a best-fit line as a data point is added, moved, or removed. compare the sum of the squared residuals between a manually fitted line and the best-fit line. determine if a linear fit is appropriate.
- What age is Least-Squares Regression good for?
- It is designed for high school up to university, and curious kids outside that range can absolutely enjoy poking around it too.
- Is Least-Squares Regression free to play?
- Yes — Least-Squares Regression is completely free on crumble.lol and runs fully in your browser on computers and tablets.