Question

data was collected on the weight, in ounces, of kittens for the first three months after birth. a line of fit was drawn through the scatter plot and had the equation $w = 3.25 + 0.3d$, where $w$ is the weight of the kitten in ounces and $d$ is the age of the kitten in days.
what is the w-intercept of the line of fit and its meaning in terms of the scenario?
3.25; a kitten who is just born is predicted to weigh 3.25 ounces
0.3; a kitten who is just born is predicted to weigh 0.3 ounces
3.25; for each additional day after the kitten is born, its weight is predicted to increase by 3.25 ounces
0.3; for each additional day after the kitten is born, its weight is predicted to increase by 0.3 ounces

Explanation:

The given line of fit is in slope-intercept form \(w = md + b\), where \(b\) is the w-intercept. Here, \(w = 3.25 + 0.3d\), so \(b = 3.25\). The w-intercept occurs when \(d = 0\) (age of kitten is 0 days, meaning just born), representing the predicted weight at birth.

Answer:

3.25; a kitten who is just born is predicted to weigh 3.25 ounces