Open your copy of the Fitting a Model: State Demographics Starter File.
Build a Model through Trial & Error
Find # Define some rows in the Definitions Area.
Add two new definitions for MA (row 21) and NV (row 28), using the definitions for alaska and alabama as a model.
1 Record the college-or-higher and median-income values for MA and NV, as (𝑥,𝑦) pairs below:
(MA college-or-higher, MA median-income) (NV college-or-higher, NV median-income)
2 Derive the MA-NV model (using the same steps you followed to derive the AL-AK model on Fit a Model: College Degrees v. Income) and write it below (in both Function and Pyret notation), then fit the model and record the 𝑆-value:
𝑚𝑎 - 𝑛𝑣(𝑥) = slopex + y-intercept fun ma-nv(x): ( * x) + end 𝑆:
3 Identify two other states that you think would make a better model: and .
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Add two new definitions for these states to your Fitting a Model: State Demographics Starter File.
4 Record the college-or-higher and median-income values for these states, as (x,y) pairs below:
(college-or-higher, median-income) (college-or-higher, median-income)
5 Derive your model and write it below (in both Function and Pyret notation), then fit the model and record the 𝑆-value:
𝑜𝑡𝒽𝑒𝑟(𝑥) = slopex + y-intercept fun other(x): ( * x) + end 𝑆:
6 Adjust the slope and y-intercept of your model to get the smallest 𝑆 possible. Write the best model you find (and corresponding 𝑆) below:
𝑏𝑒𝑠𝑡(𝑥) = slopex + y-intercept fun best(x): ( * x) + end 𝑆:
These materials were developed partly through support of the National Science Foundation, (awards 1042210, 1535276, 1648684, 1738598, 2031479, and 1501927). 
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