Why Is Alaska So Cool?
(When the days are so long?)

A Series of Math and Science
Investigations in Sunlight Intensity
using Excel, Graphing Calculators and CBLs

Activity 2: Excelling with Data

Mathematical Modeling with Excel

Guiding Question:	How can scientific data be analyzed and modeled with a mathematical equation using an Excel spreadsheet?
Description:	This activity is a guided tutorial to entering a given set of data (the same as in activity 1) into Excel, creating a graph of the data, and adding a trendline (linear) to the data.
Objective:	To determine a line of best fit (regression line) from a given set of data using an Excel spreadsheet.
Teaching Strategies:	Students can work through the activity independently or can be guided in a class discussion by the teacher showing Excel on an overhead display.
Assessment:	Concluding questions are provided to measure student’s ability to find data points on the graph and to predict new values not in the original data set. In addition, the students discuss the advantages and disadvantages of modeling regressions equations with Excel and with the TI-83 graphing calculator.
Download:	Lesson Plans (Word) Concluding Questions (Word) Answers to Concluding Questions (Word)