Plotting Scatter Plots and Fitting Lines and Quadratics with the TI-89
by Steve Richardson
1. Steps to enter ordered pairs and produce a scatter plot:
| Steps | TI-89 Keystrokes | 
| 1. Start the Data Matrix Editor a. Type: Data b. Folder: Main c. Variable: (make up a name) | APPS 6 3 
 | 
| 2. Enter the column of numbers under C1 | 
 | 
| 3. Enter the column of numbers under C2 | 
 | 
| 4. Display the Plot Setup Screen | F2 | 
| 5. Define Plot 1 as: a. Plot type = Scatter b. Mark = Box c. x = C1 d. y = C2 | F1 | 
| 6. Save the plot definition and return to Plot Setup screen | ENTER ENTER | 
| 7. Display the Y= Editor | <Green Diamond> F1 | 
| 8. Clear any pre-existing forumulae | 
 | 
| 9. Use ZoomData to graph Plot 1 | F2 9 | 
2. Steps to compute and display the line of best fit (this is called ‘linear regression’)
| Steps | TI-89 Keystrokes | 
| 1. Start the Data Matrix Editor on the ‘current’ data set | APPS 6 1 (‘current’) | 
| 2. Enter the Calc Menu: a. Calculation Type: LinReg b. x = C1 c. y = C2 d. Store RegEQ to: y1 | F5 Item 5 ENTER | 
| 3. Save Calc information | ENTER | 
| 4. Read the slope (a), intercept (b), correlation coefficient (corr) on the display. Make a note of corr (i.e. write it down). When done, press ENTER | 
 
 
 ENTER | 
| 5. Display the Y= Editor | <Green Diamond> F1 | 
| 6. Use ZoomData to graph Plot 1 | F2 9 | 
3. Steps to compute and display the quadratic of best fit
| Steps | TI-89 Keystrokes | 
| 7. Start the Data Matrix Editor on the ‘current’ data set | APPS 6 1 (‘current’) | 
| 8. Enter the Calc Menu: a. Calculation Type: QuadReg b. x = C1 c. y = C2 d. Store RegEQ to: y1 | F5 Item 9 ENTER | 
| 9. Save Calc information | ENTER | 
| 10. 
    Read the coefficients a, b and c.  Note  | 
 ENTER | 
| 11. Display the Y= Editor | <Green Diamond> F1 | 
| 12. Use ZoomData to graph Plot 1 | F2 9 |