Question

A Pearson’s correlation coefficient of –.5 would be represented by a scatterplot in which:

Select one:
A. There is a moderately good fit between the regression line and the individual data points on the scatterplot.
B. The data cloud looks like a circle and the regression line is flat.
C. Half of the data points sit perfectly on the line.
D. The regression line slopes upwards.

Answer 1

A. There is a moderately good fit between the regression line and the individual data points on the scatterplot.

Step-by-step explanation:

A -.5 correlation coefficient indicates a moderate negative correlation, which means that as the x variable increases in value, the y value decreases in value, but only in around half of the situations.

In a scatter plot, this will look like a small cloud of data points that fit more or less well around the regression line. The regression line slopes downward because the variables are inversely proportional (hence the negative coefficient).