Math 217 – Assignment 2

Due Monday, January 17 by 5:00 pm (in Joy’s mailbox or via email)

The data files for these problems are in the math_217 share folder (under Homework Files), so you can copy them to your account (be sure to work from the files on your account, not the share folder).

Textbook Problems

Chapter 2: 2.7, 2.8, 2.13

Considerations for problem 2.13

· Typically when you write a data analysis report, you do not include all the details (and possible mis-steps) of your analysis—you simply present and interpret your final model (and perhaps other interesting aspects of the data set). BUT, for this assignment, I think it’s good for you to document your entire process. So don’t think of the “report” as something you’d present to a client; instead, think of it as documentation of your process (to solidify your thinking and to show me your thinking).

· When measuring horses, a “hand” is about 4 inches. In the data set, I converted the height from hands to inches (actually both columns are included in the data file). To fully immerse yourself in context of the data, you might want to do some quick research on horses.

· When considering multiple predictor variables, a helpful tool in Minitab is the Matrix Plot, where you can see multiple scatterplots at the same time. (From the Graph menu, select Matrix Plot.)

· To investigate the sex variable, you can first look at a scatterplot with separate symbols for males and females. (From the Graph menu, select Scatterplot>Scatterplot with Groups.) If you decide that separate regression lines should be fit, then you must split the data set. (You can’t do a regression—with all the details you want—by groups.) To split your data file, from the Data menu select Split Worksheet and then choose sex as the variable. This creates two new worksheets (males and females) in your project. Minitab will do analysis on the active worksheet (you must carefully label your graphics and analysis, to keep track of which data—males or females—your analysis applies).