You can easily find the gradient (slope) of a line of best fit in Matlab using the Basic Fitting tool within the figure window.
Here's a step-by-step guide:
-
Create Your Plot: First, generate the scatter plot of your data that you want to fit a line to. This could involve using the
plot
function with your x and y data. For example:x = [1 2 3 4 5]; y = [2.1 3.9 6.1 8.2 9.9]; plot(x, y, 'o'); % 'o' creates circular markers for the data points
-
Access Basic Fitting: Once the figure window is open and displaying your plot, navigate to the menu bar at the top of the figure window. Click on Tools, and then select Basic Fitting.
-
Choose Linear Fit: In the Basic Fitting window, select the type of fit you want to apply to your data. In this case, choose Linear. This will fit a straight line (y = mx + b) to your data using a least-squares method.
-
Display the Equation: The Basic Fitting tool will automatically overlay the line of best fit on your plot. The equation of the line, including the slope (gradient) and y-intercept, will be displayed in the Basic Fitting window. You may need to check the box to display the equation on the plot itself.
In summary, the Basic Fitting tool provides a straightforward way to visualize a line of best fit and obtain its gradient in Matlab.