The method of least squares

The method of least squares is a way to find the best-fitting line or curve that describes the relationship between two variables. It works by minimizing the total of the squared differences between the observed data points and the values predicted by the line or curve. Squaring these differences ensures they are all positive and emphasizes larger errors. This approach produces a mathematical model that best represents the data, helping to identify trends and make predictions with the smallest overall error. It's widely used in statistics, engineering, and economics for data analysis and modeling.