Least Squares Fit to an Arbitrary Function Using Excel Introduction
Short Description
correct cell addresses and pull down to enter the formula for each data point, ….. K. Schalm: “Least Square Fits to an Arbitrary Function using Excel.” …
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Content
Least Squares Fit to an Arbitrary Function Using Excel
A Data Analysis Technique
Tara Falcone
Introduction
A major concept that deserves more emphasis in science classrooms is data analysis.
Physics is an experimental science based on scientific method. It is a science searching
for cause and effect relationships in nature. When studying a specific system, one first
hypothesizes a theory to relate the chosen variables to the behavior of the system. One
tests this theory by performing an experiment and collecting data. This data is analyzed
in order to see how well the experimenter’s original theory describes the observed
behavior of the system. Data analysis is the key to determining whether or not the
experimenter should have faith in their current theory, or alter their theory to better fit
nature.
A spreadsheet program, like Excel, can be used in order to perform a relatively simple,
yet good, analysis of data. It is widely available in schools and homes, and is therefore a
good tool for teaching data analysis in high school physics classes. This knowledge will
be incredibly valuable to high school students as they take it with them into their
experimental science classes in college and hopefully, these concepts…
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