CBSE Class 11 Applied Mathematics · Unit 5, Topic 6.4 · Concept, Properties, Worked Examples & Practice
Regression Analysis is a newly added syllabus topic with very little textbook coverage so far. This page gives you everything: the concept, how it differs from correlation, regression equations and coefficients, 6 key properties, 20 fully worked examples, practice MCQs and exam tips — all free, all in one place.
Regression Analysis was added to the CBSE Class 11 Applied Mathematics syllabus (topic 6.4, under Unit 5: Descriptive Statistics) but most published textbooks haven't caught up yet — students are often left without clear explanations or solved examples. This page closes that gap: a complete, exam-ready guide covering the concept, how it differs from correlation, the regression coefficients and equations, six essential properties, and 20 fully worked examples.
The mathematical tool for prediction — not just measuring relationships, but using them.
Regression analysis is a statistical method used to establish a mathematical relationship between two or more variables, so that the value of one variable can be predicted from the known value of another.
The word regression literally means "to go back." It was introduced by Sir Francis Galton, who observed that tall fathers tend to have sons shorter than themselves — the sons' heights "regressed" toward the average height of the population.
While correlation tells us whether and how strongly two variables are related, regression tells us exactly how one variable changes with respect to another — and allows actual prediction.
The Simple Analogy
Imagine you notice that taller people tend to weigh more.
"How strongly are height and weight related?"
→ Gives you a number: r = 0.85"If someone is 170 cm tall, exactly how much do they weigh?"
→ Gives an equation: Weight = 0.9×Height − 52Dependent & Independent Variables
In regression, we identify two roles for the variables:
| Independent Variable (X) | Dependent Variable (Y) |
|---|---|
| Hours studied | Marks scored |
| Advertisement expenditure | Sales revenue |
| Age of machine | Maintenance cost |
| Rainfall | Crop yield |
Short answer: No, they are NOT the same — but they are deeply connected. Think of them as two sides of the same coin.
| Feature | Correlation | Regression |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Measure the strength of relationship | Predict one variable from another |
| Output | A single number: r (between −1 and +1) | An equation: Y = a + bX |
| Direction | Shows + or − relationship | Shows exact rate of change |
| Symmetric? | Yes — r(X,Y) = r(Y,X) | No — line of Y on X ≠ line of X on Y |
| Cause-Effect? | No — just association | Yes — one variable depends on another |
| How many results? | 1 value of r | 2 lines (Y on X, and X on Y) |
Are the Formulas the Same? No — But They Share One Component
Here's where it gets interesting. Look at all three formulas:
👉 Notice: The numerator is identical in all three formulas — nΣXY − ΣX·ΣY. The difference is only in the denominator:
The correlation coefficient is literally the geometric mean of the two regression coefficients!
A Numerical Example to See the Difference Clearly
Suppose from data you calculate: bYX = 0.8 (regression of Y on X), bXY = 0.5 (regression of X on Y).
When to Use Which?
| Situation | Use |
|---|---|
| You want to know if study hours affect marks | Correlation |
| You want to predict marks for 6 hours of study | Regression |
| You want to know the direction of a relationship | Correlation |
| You want to know the rate of change | Regression |
| You have no clear dependent/independent variable | Correlation |
| One variable clearly depends on another | Regression |
Correlation measures; Regression predicts. They use related formulas and share the same numerator, but correlation gives you one number, while regression gives you an equation — and there's always a neat mathematical bridge between them: r = √(bYX × bXY)
For two variables X and Y, there are two regression lines.
Used to predict Y when X is given.
Y − Ȳ = bYX(X − X̄)Or equivalently: Y = a + bX
Used to predict X when Y is given.
X − X̄ = bXY(Y − Ȳ)Both lines pass through (X̄, Ȳ) — the means of X and Y
Regression Coefficients
Using deviations: bYX = ΣxyΣx², where x=X−X̄, y=Y−Ȳ
Also: bYX = r · σᵥσₓ
Also: bXY = r · σₓσᵥ
These are important — questions are frequently asked on these!
Both regression lines pass through (X̄, Ȳ) — the means of X and Y.
The coefficient of correlation r is the geometric mean of the two regression coefficients:
r = ±√(bYX × bXY)The sign of r matches the common sign of bYX and bXY.
If one regression coefficient is greater than 1, the other must be less than 1 (they cannot both exceed 1 in absolute value, unless r = ±1).
Both regression coefficients have the same sign — both positive or both negative.
The regression coefficients are not symmetric: bYX ≠ bXY in general.
−1 ≤ r ≤ 1, so bYX × bXY ≤ 1 always. This is your quickest check for validity.
10 MCQs + 4 Assertion-Reason questions. Click Show Answer for the full explanation.
9 quick, 1-3 mark style questions. Click Show Solution to reveal complete working.
| X | 1 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Y | 4 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 11 |
Get the Formula Deck — every formula for all 7 units in one printable PDF.
8 multi-step, 4-5 mark style questions with complete solutions.
| X | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Y | 5 | 7 | 9 | 8 | 11 |
| X | Y | X² | Y² | XY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 5 | 4 | 25 | 10 |
| 4 | 7 | 16 | 49 | 28 |
| 6 | 9 | 36 | 81 | 54 |
| 8 | 8 | 64 | 64 | 64 |
| 10 | 11 | 100 | 121 | 110 |
| ΣX=30 | ΣY=40 | ΣX²=220 | ΣY²=340 | ΣXY=266 |
| X | 5 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Y | 10 | 14 | 16 | 18 | 22 |
Keep all regression formulas — and every other unit's formulas — in one printable PDF for instant revision.
3 application-based questions showing regression used in real decisions.
| Age (X) | 52 | 63 | 45 | 36 | 72 | 65 | 47 | 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BP (Y) | 62 | 53 | 51 | 25 | 79 | 43 | 60 | 33 |
| Mid-term (X) | 40 | 50 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 90 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Final (Y) | 45 | 55 | 60 | 70 | 80 | 92 |
📌 Quick Formula Card
| Formula | Description |
|---|---|
| bYX = nΣXY − ΣX·ΣYnΣX² − (ΣX)² | Regression coeff. Y on X |
| bXY = nΣXY − ΣX·ΣYnΣY² − (ΣY)² | Regression coeff. X on Y |
| r = ±√(bYX·bXY) | Correlation from regression |
| bYX = r·σᵥσₓ | Using SD and r |
| bXY = r·σₓσᵥ | Using SD and r |
These specific errors show up again and again in student answers.
Questions students ask most about Regression Analysis.
This page is part of Unit 5: Descriptive Statistics. Explore the rest of the unit or browse all 7 units.
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