Calculates the point at which a line will intersect the y-axis by using existing x-values and y-values. The intercept point is based on a best-fit regression line plotted through the known x-values and known y-values. Use the intercept when you want to determine the value of the dependent variable when the independent variable is 0 (zero). For example, you can use the INTERCEPT function to predict a metal's electrical resistance at 0°C when your data points were taken at room temperature and higher.
Syntax
INTERCEPT(known_y's,known_x's)
Known_y's is the dependent set of observations or data.
Known_x's is the independent set of observations or data.
Remarks
- The arguments should be either numbers or names, arrays, or references that contain numbers.
- If an array or reference argument contains text, logical values, or empty cells, those values are ignored; however, cells with the value zero are included.
- If known_y's and known_x's contain a different number of data points or contain no data points, INTERCEPT returns the #N/A error value.
- The equation for the intercept of the regression line is:
where the slope is calculated as:
Example
The example may be easier to understand if you copy it to a blank spreadsheet.
How?- Create a blank spreadsheet.
- Select the example in the Help topic.
Selecting an example from Help
- Press CTRL+C.
- In the spreadsheet, select cell A1, and press CTRL+V.
- To switch between viewing the formula that returns the result and the result in the cell, select the cell and press F2 and then ENTER, or click Commands and Options on the spreadsheet toolbar, click the Formula tab, and look in the Formula in active cell (active cell) box.
| Known y | Known x |
|---|---|
| 2 | 6 |
| 3 | 5 |
| 9 | 11 |
| 1 | 7 |
| 8 | 5 |
| Formula | Description (Result) |
| =INTERCEPT(A2:A6, B2:B6) | Point at which a line will intersect the y-axis by using the x-values and y-values above (0.0483871) |