Edexcel S1 — Question 7

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleS1 (Statistics 1)
TopicLinear regression
TypeLinearize non-linear relationships

7. A new vaccine is tested over a six-month period in one health authority. The table shows the number of new cases of the disease, \(d\), reported in the \(m\) th month after the trials began.
\(m\)123456
\(d\)1026961585248
A doctor suggests that a relationship of the form \(d = a + b x\) where \(x = \frac { 1 } { m }\) can be used to model the situation.
  1. Tabulate the values of \(x\) corresponding to the given values of \(d\) and plot a scatter diagram of \(d\) against \(x\).
  2. Explain how your scatter diagram supports the suggested model. You may use $$\Sigma x = 2.45 , \quad \Sigma d = 390 , \quad \Sigma x ^ { 2 } = 1.491 , \quad \Sigma x d = 189.733$$
  3. Find an equation of the regression line \(d\) on \(x\) in the form \(d = a + b x\).
  4. Use your regression line to estimate how many new cases of the disease there will be in the 13th month after the trial began.
  5. Comment on the reliability of your answer to part (d).