Numerical evaluation of cytologic data. XIII. Curve fitting and curvilinear regression.

A method of curve fitting is described by which curves can be fitted to data for which the independent variables are not spaced equidistantly. The method uses the calculation of regression coefficients for an appropriate polynomial. Testing of the plotted curve by computation of the residual sum of squares is shown also, as is use of a "coefficient of partial determination" to test the statistical significance of the degree of polynomial chosen.