The least-squares regression method of cost estimation mathematically determines the best fit line through a field of points. Therefore, to the extent that a line doesn't best describe cost ...

The least-squares criterion is a method of measuring the accuracy of a line in depicting the data that was used to generate it. That is, the formula determines the line of best fit.

The more precise method involves the least squares method. This is a statistical procedure to find the best fit for a set of data points by minimizing the sum of the offsets or residuals of points ...