Question: Now that cigarette smoking has been clearly tied to lung cancer, researchers are focusing on possible links to other diseases. The data below show annual rates of cigarette consumption and deaths from coronary heart disease for several nations. Some public health officials are urging that the United States adopt a national goal of cutting cigarette consumption in half over the next decade.

Examine these data and write a report. In your report you should:

? Include appropriate graphs (have correct explanatory/response, be accurate and clearly label your graph) and statistics ( have correct r and r-squared, correct slope and y-intercept and use the proper notation);

? Describe the association between cigarette smoking and coronary heart disease (include a discussion of the direction and note unusual points);

? Create a linear model;

? Evaluate the strength (with correlation) and appropriateness of your model (use residuals plot);

? Interpret the slope and y-intercept of the line (slope, in context (as model) and y-intercept, in context (as model));

? Use your model to estimate the potential benefits of reaching the “national goal” proposed for the United States (make correct prediction in context, clearly indicate you are using a model and avoid suggesting cause and effect).

Data Source: American Journal of Public Health, as cited in Exploring Data, Landwehr & Watkins, 1986.