This page includes Step-by-Step instructions to use Minitab to calculate the regression equation for the Water/Temperature example.  

Example: Assume that during a three-hour period spent outside, a person recorded the temperature and their water consumption.  

Estimate the amount of water needed based on a given temperature of 95 degrees Fahrenheit.  To do that, use Minitab to find the Least Squares Linear Regression Equation for the line of best  fit for the temperature and the amount of water consumed.  

Two ways to get the equation of the line of best fit using Minitab:  

• Using the Fitted Line Plot (See Curvefitting Tutorial) and
• Using the Regression menu (Shown below).

*  The fitted line plot is the easiest approach and may be sufficient if all you need is the regression equation and the coefficient of determination.

* It may help to print this page out as you work through the Minitab tutorial.  

Preliminaries: Entering the data. 

• If you have already entered the water/temperature data it should be saved in file minitabdata1.  If you have this file, open the file.
• Otherwise enter the Temperature data in column 1 and water in column 2.   Put the category names in the title row.
• If you need help entering the data, see the Introduction to Minitab tutorial.

Procedures:

1. Select Stat> Regression> Regression.
2. In the Response box, select Water Consumption from the box on the left.
3. In the Predictors box, select Temperature from the box on the left.
4. Click OK.

5. Save the data. Select FILE > SAVE AS. Call the data set MinitabData1. (You will use the data again in future tutorials.)

Click here to check your solution output.

 Solution Interpretation or Interpret P-value  
 

Learn the procedure for calculating a regression equation.

   

Simple Linear Regression Menu    Dictionary

STATS @ MTSU