Graph Line of Best Fit on Excel: What does 'E' mean?

[mikexz]

I got this graph on excel and I using the trendline function on excel, I got this equation: y = 0.0526x + 3E-05

I don't understand why there is an "3E-05" at the end, what does that mean? What is "E"?

thanks

 

[stapel]

I don't understand why there is an "3E-05" at the end, what does that mean? What is "E"?

Since we don't know what was entered, nor what processes were used, to obtain your result, we have no way of knowing why the constant term had the value it did. But program is just using scientific notation, something which should have been covered in class way before you reached statistics. :shock:

To learn what scientific notation is and how it works, try here:

. . . . .Google results for "scientific notation"

To learn how your installation of Excel uses the notation, please use its online "help" utility.

Eliz.

 

[galactus]

You get \(\displaystyle 3E-05\). That just means .00003. Kind of like scientific notation.

Your line equation is \(\displaystyle y=.0526x+.00003\)

If you have a calculator you can set the exponential format to engineering and it'll display that way. You can probably change it in Excel as well.

 

[stapel]

Kind of like scientific notation.

It's not "kind of like" scientific notation; it is scientific notation! :wink:

Older calculators were limited in the sorts of characters they could display. "Times ten to some power" didn't fit within the limitations of the old LED displays (which were an improvement over the previous display method: paper printouts, yes, even in "hand-helds"), and using four or more characters for the exponent bit would have used too many of the eight total possible characters to display. :shock:

So the notation "E(some number)" was accepted to mean "times ten to the power (some number)", indicating, in scientific notation, values which could not otherwise be displayed:

. . . . .Wikipedia: The "E" Notation

. . . . .Scientific Notation on Calculators

. . . . .All About Circuits: Calculators and Scientific Notation

. . . . .Using TI calculators FAQ: Scientific Notation

. . . . .ChemLabs: Scientific Notation

Being short, simple, to-the-point, and widely understood, modern software and calculators with larger displays have, by and large, retained this notation. :idea:

Have fun!

Eliz.

 

[mikexz]

thanks everyone

I keep running into problems with really simple stuff that I never covered in class. Do you have any suggestions for where I could find a website or book that covers all the basics I need before I head off to university math, science, etc..? (I am in my last year of high school)

thanks again

 

[stapel]

Do you have any suggestions for where I could find a website or book that covers all the basics I need before I head off to university math, science, etc..?

"All the basics" is a fairly fluid term. :shock:

Could you narrow the parameters a bit? What was the last math course you took, and how long ago was it? What is the first course listed (with description) at your intended college?

Thank you!

Eliz.