Background

Too often we think the goal of a laboratory is to “get an answer”. Just as a graph with one point does not tell us much, calculating a single value can be misleading. Although the accuracy of this value can be determined if a standard value is known, the precision or reproducibility cannot. One way to picture this precision is to graph the data and fit the data points with a best fit line. A best fit line should be drawn with as many points above it as below it, the closer the data points are to the line the more precise and reliable your results.

The equation describing the graph also shows how variables are related, allowing new values to be extrapolated or calculated from the graph. An additional step called “linearizing” helps determine the functional relationship between variables.

The objective of the linearizing process is to change the independent or dependent variable, for example change x to 1/x, so that the resulting graph is linear. So then, the equation describing the linear graph becomes;

y = slope (1/x) + intercept

Credits to Mr. Liao