When data is displayed with a scatter plot, it is often useful to attempt to represent that data with the equation of a straight line. What is this line called and what is its purpose?

The straight line used to summarize the overall pattern in a scatter plot is called the line of best fit. Its purpose is to represent the linear trend in the data, even when the points do not fall exactly on a line. Therefore, the correct answer is “line of best fit, used to represent the linear trend in the data.”

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