Question

You find a strong negative correlation between two variables x and y. Does this necessarily imply that there's a causal relationship between variables?

A) Yes, a strong negative correlation implies causation.
B) No, correlation does not imply causation.
C) It depends on the nature of the variables.
D) Sometimes, a strong correlation can suggest causation.

Answer 1

A strong negative correlation between two variables x and y does not imply causation; correlation merely indicates a relationship, which could be influenced by other factors.

Step-by-step explanation:

If you find a strong negative correlation between two variables x and y, it does not necessarily imply that there's a causal relationship between the variables.

The correct answer to the question is B) No, correlation does not imply causation. A correlation is described with a correlation coefficient, r, which ranges from -1 to 1 and indicates the nature (positive or negative) and the strength of the relationship between variables. However, establishing causation requires conducting an experiment, as there might be a confounding variable responsible for the observed relationship.