143 – New Ideas in Advanced Undergraduate Courses
Using Geometry to Visualize Abstract Aspects of Statistical Formulae Relevant to Correlation and Regression
Kyle Nickodem
University of Minnesota College of Education & Human Development
Ernest Davenport Jr., PhD
University of Minnesota College of Education & Human Development
Qinjun Wang
University of Minnesota College of Education & Human Development
Steven Andrew Culpepper, PhD
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
In undergraduate and graduate statistics courses, concepts are often taught using algebraic or computational explanations. These may not, however, be optimal teaching methods for all students. Thus, the use of geometry can provide an alternative pedagogy that satisfies different learning styles without a loss of accuracy and rigor. This paper demonstrates an approach using geometric diagrams to introduce students to the concepts of bivariate, partial, and part correlations, multiple regression, R2, and R2 change in a concrete manner. In addition to supplementing current teaching methods, a geometric approach provides a visual representation of concepts that enables students to see statistics while requiring only a high school level of geometrical background knowledge.