Since the slope of the linear fit is 0.0541 m/s 2 (yes, the slope has units), then the acceleration of this cart would be 0.108 m/s 2. Boom. The Common Student Method ...

Here is that spreadsheet with the same data AND with the SLOPE() and INTERCEPT() function in google docs to show the answer is the same. There. That is the the basic form of linear regression by hand.