Executives at a national mining company insist that their employees did not contract lung cancer from occupational pollutants. They develop a regression model that shows 67% of the lung cancers reported are due to other factors such as personal smoking and genetic predisposition. The random error term in the linear regression model indicates:
A)a numerical estimate of the relationship between the independent and dependent variables
B)a numerical estimate of factors outside the independent variable
C)a numerical estimate of factors outside the dependent variable
D)a numerical estimate of the relationship between the intercept and the slope

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The random error term in the linear regression model indicates a numerical estimate of factors outside the independent variable.
Key Takeaway: The random error term in a linear regression model provides a numerical estimate of factors that are not study in a particular research study. In this example, the mining company executives are asserting that 67% of lung cancer causes are due to factors outside the independent variable, which in this case are the occupational pollutants.

Executives at a National Mining Company Insist That Their Employees