Final answer:
To compute the correlation coefficient, use a statistical software or calculator. Create a scatterplot to determine the type of correlation visually.
Step-by-step explanation:
To compute the correlation coefficient between pH level and mercury level in the lakes, you can use a statistical software or calculator. The correlation coefficient indicates the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables. If the coefficient is close to 1, there is a strong positive correlation. If the coefficient is close to -1, there is a strong negative correlation. If the coefficient is close to 0, there is no significant correlation.
To create a scatterplot of the data, you can plot the pH levels on the x-axis and mercury levels on the y-axis. Each point on the scatterplot represents one lake. By observing the scatterplot, you can visually determine the type of correlation between the two variables.
If the points form a positive slope, there is a positive correlation. If the points form a negative slope, there is a negative correlation. If the points are scattered randomly without a clear pattern, there is no significant correlation.