Scatterplots and other such graphs can help you visualize relationships between variables. Once you have visualized relationships, the next step is to analyze those relationships so that you can describe them numerically. That numerical description of the relationship between variables is called a model. Even more importantly, a model also predicts the average value of one variable (Y) from the value of another variable (X). The X variable is also called a predictor. Generally, this model is called a regression model.

With JMP, the Fit Y by X platform and the Fit Model platform creates regression models.

Table 3.9 shows the four primary types of relationships.