document.write( "<A HREF=/cgi-bin/jump-to-question.mpl?question=987060>Question 987060</A>: <I><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> What is the approximate rate of change of the linear function?\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Year	                       1950	1960  1970	1980  1990	    2000<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Pop. of country A	8.5	10.7	 13.1        14.9	  14.5	    22.6<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Pop. of country B	7.5	9.1	 10.9	12.5	  14.2	    15.6<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "</I><HR><TABLE width=100%><TR><TD><B><A HREF=http://www.algebra.com/>Algebra.Com's</A> Answer #607830 by </B><A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Boreal><B>Boreal(15235)</B></A><img src=\"/images/stars/stars-13.gif\" alt=\"\" >&nbsp;<A HREF=/tutors/aboutme.mpl?userid=Boreal><IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/images/aboutme-small.gif BORDER=0 alt=\"About Me\" VALIGN=MIDDLE></A>&nbsp;<IMG SRC=http://www.algebra.com/cgi-bin/show-face.mpl?user=Boreal><BR>You can <A HREF=\"/cgi-bin/embed-solution.mpl?show=1&solution=607830\">put this solution on YOUR website!</A><BR><SPAN STYLE=\"word-break: break-all;\"> With \"approximate\" I will not use linear regression.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "For each, look at the difference between adjacent ones and the overall difference.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "A has 2.2, 2.4,1.8,-0.4,8.1<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Overall A is 14.1/5=2.82 per decade, millions, thousands whatever.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "B:1.6,1.8,1.6,1.7,1.4<BR>\n" );
document.write( "Overall, it is 8.1/5=1.62 per decade.<BR>\n" );
document.write( "These are approximates, but B has much less variability than A.\r<BR>\n" );
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document.write( "Usually with approximations,the last minus the first divided by the number is one of the best ways to get an idea of the slope. </SPAN>\n" );
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