Add Line of Best Fit (& Equation) – Excel & Google Sheets

This tutorial will demonstrate how to create a line of best fit and the equation in Excel and Google Sheets.

Add Line of Best Fit (& Equation) in Excel

Adding a Scatterplot

1. Highlight the data that you would like to create a scatterplot with
2. Click Insert
3. Click Scatterplot
4. Select Scatter

 

After creating your Scatterplot Graph, it should look something like below

 

Adding your Trendline

1. Click on the Graph
2. Select Chart Design
3. Click Add Chart Element
4. Click Trendline
5. Select More Trendline Options

6. Select Polynomial

7. Check Display Equation on Chart

Final Graph with Trendline and Equation

After selecting those, a trendline of the series as well as the equation will appear on the graph as shown below.

 

Add Line of Best Fit (& Equation) in Google Sheets

Create a Graph

1. Highlight the dataset
2. Select Insert
3. Click Chart

 

Change to Scatterplot

1. Click on the Graph
2. Select Setup
3. Click Chart Type Box
4. Select Scatter Chart

 

Add Trendline

1. Click on the Scatterplot Graph
2. Select Customize
3. Click Series

 

4. Check Trendline box

Add Equation

1. Under Type, Select Polynomial
2. Under Label, Select Use Equation

 

 

 

Final Graph with Trendline and Equation

As you can see, we now have a trendline and a polynomial equation of the best fitting line for the series.