Michaela and Forrest

Harder, Faster, Stronger
Exponetnial Regressions for Olympic Events

Men's 200m Freestyle Event 1900-2008



Exponential Regression Equation:
Y=a*b^X


Y=4098.002*.996^X




Women's 200m Freestyle Event 1968-2008


Exponential Regression Equation:
Y=a*b^X

Y=116.5464*.998^X

In the equation every letter has a meaning. The 'a' represents the starting time that is being reduced by an amount specified by 'X'. The 'b' is the amount that the gold medal times decreased each year.

The men's 200m freestyle started in 1900 and 1904 when their times were very slow then stopped until it started back up in 1968 when the women's event began. Men's times are consistently, slightly faster than women's times but each regress at about the same slope. I can predict that in each of these events the times will continue to be faster but by smaller and smaller amounts each year.