This is known as the regression equation, and it takes the following form: y = a + bx, where y is weight in pounds; a is the y-intercept of the line (the value for y when x = 0); b is the slope of the line; and x is height in inches. The slope of the line we’ve fitted, b, describes the “best” linear relationship between height and weight for this sample, as defined by ordinary least squares.
