Continuous variables in 3 dimensions
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Continuous variables in 3 dimensions



Dear All
 
I have had several situations recently where I am interested in analysing a dependent variable (D) and two independent varaibles (I1 and I2) in the same model, all three being continuous, normally distributed etc.
 
D = a + b(I1) + c(I2) + ........
 
The plot of this relationship is of course three dimensional and a flat surface.
 
If I suspect that the response surface is not flat:
 
a) Has anyone got any ideas for a left hand side that could explore the curvature of the response surface?
 
b) Has anyone got any good software for plotting such a surface in 3D.
 
My 'simple' solution is to divide each independent variable into a number of classes and then estimate the interaction least-squares means for each sub-class. These can be plotted. However, this seems rather a 'cop out' way of solving the problem.
 
Any ideas please?
 
Thanks
 
Geoff
 
 
_____________________________________________________
Dr Geoff Pollott
Senior Lecturer in Animal Breeding and Production
Department of Agricultural Sciences
Imperial College at Wye
Ashford
Kent
TN25 5AH
UK

Tel: +44 (0)20 759 42707
Fax: +44 (0)20 759 42919
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