1. Microsoft Excel: Line of Best Fit Tim Courtney Aileen Richards Joshua Tunzi Dewey Ward

2. Open the Trendline Menu Step 1 – Right-click on a data point. Step 1 – Right-click on a data point. Step 2 – Left-click “Add Trendline”. Step 2 – Left-click “Add Trendline”.

3. Select a Trendline Step 3 – Left- click on the Regression Type that appears to match your data best. Step 3 – Left- click on the Regression Type that appears to match your data best.

4. Analyze Trend Step 4 – Click the “Options” Tab. Step 4 – Click the “Options” Tab. Step 5 – Mark check boxes as shown. Step 5 – Mark check boxes as shown. Step 6 – Click “Ok”. Step 6 – Click “Ok”.

5. Interpreting the Trendline Step 7 – R 2 is the quality of fit. Repeat steps 1 through 6 with other regression types to find the best fit. Step 7 – R 2 is the quality of fit. Repeat steps 1 through 6 with other regression types to find the best fit.

6. Trendline Use An R 2 of 1 fits the data perfectly. An R 2 of 1 fits the data perfectly. This is unlikely to happen with real data.This is unlikely to happen with real data. Beware of “overfitting” a curve with a high order polynomial. Beware of “overfitting” a curve with a high order polynomial. Equation of trendline can be used to predict results of future data. Equation of trendline can be used to predict results of future data.

7. Conclusion Trendlines are a powerful tool in explaining experimental phenomena and predicting future results. Trendlines are a powerful tool in explaining experimental phenomena and predicting future results. Excel can quickly and easily find common trendlines. Excel can quickly and easily find common trendlines. For more difficult trends, students may look into non-linear least squares regression with a program such as MATLAB. For more difficult trends, students may look into non-linear least squares regression with a program such as MATLAB.