MA005: Calculus I

If we have a table of values of the function, perhaps consisting of measurements obtained from an experiment, then we can simply plot the ordered pairs in the xy–plane to get a graph which consists of a collection of points.

Fig. 5 shows the lengths and weights of trout caught (and released) during several days of fishing. It also shows a line which comes "close" to the plotted points. From the graph, you could estimate that a 17 inch trout would weigh slightly more than one pound.