Econometrics HT 18

Chapter 16 : Several explanatory variables

By Lund University

A linear regression model where our dependent variable may depend on several x-variables.

The linear regression model and OLS

In this chapter, we extend the linear regression model allowing for several explanatory variables. For example, if we have three explanatory variables then, including the intercept, we will have four unknown beta parameters. We will use the symbol k to denote the number of unknown beta parameters. The OLS principle for estimating the beta parameters will still work but the mathematics will become more complicated and is best done using matrices. However, we can always feed data into software and get the OLS estimates from the software. The fundamental assumption, exogeneity, will be discussed and we will conclude that the OLS estimator will be unbiased and consistent under this assumption. Further, the OLS estimator will be best if the error terms are homoscedastic.

Linear regression with several explanatory variables

OLS

The properties of the OLS estimator

Exogeneity in the linear regression model

The OLS estimator

Properties of the OLS estimator

R-bar square

The conditional distribution of y given x

Interpreting the OLS estimator

Properties of the OLS estimator

The variance of the OLS estimator