Final answer:
The correct interpretation of a correlation among the provided options is the third one: 'The correlation is -.85. This means that as the distance of a golf putt increases, the success rate of making the putt decreases,' which correctly reflects a strong negative correlation.
Step-by-step explanation:
A correlation coefficient is a statistical measure that reflects the correlation or relationship between two variables. It ranges from -1 to +1, where a value of 1 means a perfect positive correlation, 0 means no correlation, and -1 means a perfect negative correlation. The negative sign indicates that as one variable increases, the other decreases, and vice versa for a positive sign.
Looking at the student's question:
- The correlation is -.85. This means that students with lower verbal SAT scores tend to have lower GPAs as well. This interpretation is incorrect because a negative correlation would mean that as one variable decreases, the other increases - the opposite of what’s stated.
- The correlation between husbands' and wives' ages is -.85, so the correlation between wives' and husbands' ages is +.85. This statement is incorrect because the sign of the correlation does not change with the perspective; it remains the same in both cases.
- The correlation is -.85. This means that as the distance of a golf putt increases, the success rate of making the putt decreases. This is a correct interpretation, showing a strong negative correlation where increasing distance is associated with decreasing success rates.
Therefore, the correct interpretation of a correlation among the options provided by the student is the third one.