What is a Line of Best Fit?
The line of best fit is a highly used concept of statistics. It refers to a line/curve that represents the relation between two random/unknown variables in a scatter plot such that we can make predictions using this line and the error or, distance between the original data points and the predicted ones is minimized. Now, it is not necessary that the line of best fit has to be straight; it can be a curve depending upon the spread in the scatter plot. Presently, it is very easy to find the line of best fit of any data because there is a plethora of tools available for this analysis such as Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, OriginPro, etc.
In this article, we will learn how to find the line of best fit (Polynomial Fitting) for a given data in Google Sheets. Google Sheets provides many functions that help us to find the best-fit line and add it to the plot of given data.
How to Insert Line of Best Fit in Google Spreadsheets
How to Find the Line of Best Fit on Google Sheets
- Select the Customize tab from the Chart Editor
- Select the Series drop-down menu
- Scroll down to the three checkboxes
- Click on the Trend Line checkbox
Creating plots is a crucial aspect of working with spreadsheet software like Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. Frequently, we encounter scenarios where we need to analyze data obtained from experiments or external sources, and manually identifying trends can be challenging. In such cases, we employ the technique of polynomial fitting from Statistics to determine a mathematical function that optimally aligns with the provided data. The utilization of graphs and charts for data visualization remains a valuable method for extracting insights and understanding relationships among different data points.
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