Example of Predict with a regression model

Technicians measure heat flux as part of a solar thermal energy test. An energy engineer wants to determine how heat flux is predicted by the position of the east, south, and north focal points.

The engineer fits the regression model and uses it to calculate a range of likely values for future observations at specified settings.

  1. Open the sample data, ThermalEnergyTest.MTW.
  2. Choose Stat > Regression > Regression > Predict.
  3. From Response, select Heat Flux.
  4. In the table, enter 35 for East, 34 for South, and 16 for North.
  5. Click OK.

Interpret the results

Minitab uses the stored model to calculate that the predicted strength is 258.242. The prediction interval indicates that the technicians can be 95% confident that a single future value will fall within the range of 239.882 to 276.601.

Regression Equation

Heat Flux=389.2 + 2.12 East + 5.318 South - 24.13 North

Settings

VariableSetting
East35
South34
North16

Prediction

FitSE Fit95% CI95% PI
258.2422.35414(253.393, 263.090)(239.882, 276.601)