CCSS.Math.Content.HSS-ID.C
The standard
Interpret linear models
Common Core State Standards for Mathematics · High School — Statistics and Probability
What this standard means
Students need to read a scatterplot, describe the direction and strength of a linear pattern, and use a fitted line to make predictions. They should explain slope and intercept in the context of the data, not just calculate them.
Mastery looks like a student saying what a model means, when it is useful, and when a prediction is risky. Common sticking points are mixing up correlation with cause, treating the intercept as meaningful when it is not, and trusting predictions far outside the data range.
Ways to teach it
- Hands-on activity: Give pairs spaghetti, grid paper, and a small data table, then have them place a best-fit line and estimate slope.
- Discussion prompt: Show two scatterplots with similar slopes but different spread, and ask which model gives more reliable predictions and why.
- Quick assessment: Give one scatterplot with a fitted line, then ask for the slope meaning, intercept meaning, and one reasonable prediction.
- Real-world connection: Use local weather data to model temperature versus ice cream sales, then discuss what the line can and cannot prove.
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Related standards
- CCSS.Math.Content.8.SP.A.3
Use the equation of a linear model to solve problems in the context of bivariate measurement data, interpreting the slope and intercept.
- CCSS.Math.Content.HSS-ID.B.6c
Fit a linear function for a scatter plot that suggests a linear association.
- CCSS.Math.Content.HSS-ID.C.7
Interpret the slope (rate of change) and the intercept (constant term) of a linear model in the context of the data.
- CCSS.Math.Content.HSF-LE.B.5
Interpret the parameters in a linear or exponential function in terms of a context.