Spreadsheet Math Exploration

by

Chad Crumley

 

 

 

 

Exploration:  This data is from the lumber industry, giving the approximate number of board feet of lumber per tree in a forest of a given age. What function will fit the data? Predict the harvest for ages other than those given.

 

Before I start modeling, is there a way of knowing when you found a good model?  One measure of how well the model fits the data is the correlation coefficient, but this applies only to linear models.  Another way to decide how well a model fits a data set is to examine the errors.  Error = observed y Ð predicted y, often called the residual in statistics.  A scatterplot of the residuals to the value of the independent variable helps determine whether a proposed model is a good fit.  If the model is a good fit, the residuals should tend to fall within a horizontal band centered around zero.

 

Residual Plot:  Good Fit

 

Residual Plot:  Better Fit Available

 

 

Residual Plot:  Better Fit Available

 

 

So, before we begin, let us look at a graph of the tree data.

 

Looking at the graph, it appears the model may be exponential or some polynomial with degree higher than 1 (like quadratic or cubic).  Now, we are going to use a TI-84 to explore different possibilities for the model, and we will look at the residual plot to determine if a better model exists. 

 

Linear Model:  y = 1.7097x Ð 77.8592

Age of Tree

100s Board Feet

Linear y(age)

Residuals

20

1

-43.6652

44.6652

40

6

-9.4712

15.4712

80

33

58.9168

-25.9168

100

56

93.1108

-37.1108

120

88

127.3048

-39.3048

160

182

195.6928

-13.6928

200

320

264.0808

55.9192

 

 

According to the residual plot for the linear model, a better model exists.  

 

 

Quadratic Model:  y = 0.0110x2 Ð 0.6812x + 13.3131

Age of Tree

100s Board Feet

Quadratic

Residuals

20

1

4.0891

-3.0891

40

6

3.6651

2.3349

80

33

29.2171

3.7829

100

56

55.1931

0.8069

120

88

89.9691

-1.9691

160

182

185.9211

-3.9211

200

320

317.0731

2.9269

According to the residuals for the quadratic model, this model is a good fit.  However, let us continue our exploration and see if the errors can decrease.

 

Cubic Model:  y = 2.0983E-5x3 + 0.0041x2 Ð 0.06251x + 0.5298

Age of Tree

100s Board Feet

Cubic

Residuals

20

1

1.087464

-0.087464

40

6

5.932312

0.067688

80

33

32.512296

0.487704

100

56

56.2618

-0.2618

120

88

88.327224

-0.327224

160

182

181.434568

0.565432

200

320

319.8918

0.1082

 

 

This residual plot is considerably better.  Notice in the quadratic model, one residual is -3.92.  In the above residual plot for the cubic model, the largest residual is 0.57 (closer to having no error).  So far this is the best model. 

 

 

Quartic Model:  y = -3.3659E-8x4 + 3.5890E-5x3 + 0.0019x2 + 0.0584x - 1.3251

Age of Tree

100s Board Feet

Quartic

Residuals

20

1

0.88463456

0.11536544

40

6

6.26169296

-0.26169296

80

33

32.50390736

0.49609264

100

56

56.039

-0.039

120

88

88.08128976

-0.08128976

160

182

181.6055778

0.39442224

200

320

319.6205

0.3795

  

 

Now, the quartic model is the best fit for the tree data.  Notice the largest residual is 0.496 rather than the 0.57 residual in the cubic model.

 

 

Exponential Model:  y = 1.5703*1.0305x

Age of Tree

100s Board Feet

Exp

Residuals

20

1

2.863799131

-1.86379913

40

6

5.222788934

0.777211066

80

33

17.37089999

15.62910001

100

56

31.67978622

24.32021378

120

88

57.77529405

30.22470595

160

182

192.159566

-10.159566

200

320

639.1191841

-319.119184

 

 

Notice a problem.  One residual is -319.119.  This model is not acceptable.  

 

 

Conclusion:  WhatÕs the best fit?  According to the residual plots, the quartic model is the best fit.  However, the tree data is dealing with volume of useable lumber.  Thus, the cubic model fits the data well.  

 

Cubic Model:  y = 2.0983E-5x3 + 0.0041x2 Ð 0.06251x + 0.5298

 



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