Correlation and Causal Relationships

There is a negative correlation between the number of hours a student watches television and his or her social studies test score. Which scatter plot below displays this correlation?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

A line of best fit has been drawn on the scatter plot below. The relationship between these variables can be described as having

• negative correlation

• no correlation

• positive correlation

• zero correlation

• strong positive

• strong negative

• weak positive

• weak negative

Estimate the correlation coefficient for this scatterplot.

• r = -0.9

• r = 1

• r = 0.9

• r = -1

What does a scatter plot with points closely following an upward sloping line indicate about the relationship between the two variables being plotted?

• No correlation

• Negative correlation

• Positive correlation

• Constant correlation

What is the line of best fit in a scatter plot primarily used for?

• To separate different groups of data

• To predict the value of one variable based on the value of another

• To calculate the exact values of all data points

• To create a boundary around all data points

As x increases, y decreases.

• no correlation

• negative correlation

• correlation coefficient

• positive correlation

As x increases, y increases

• correlation coefficient

• causation

• positive correlation

• negative correlation

Which phrase best describes the relationship between the number of miles driven and the amount of gasoline used?

• causal, but not correlated

• correlated, but not causal

• both correlated and causal

• neither correlated nor causal

What type of relationship exists between the number of hours spent on your phone and the battery left in the phone?

• positive correlation, causal

• positive correlation, not causal

• negative correlation, causal

• negative correlation, not causal