Final answer:
The relationship between the cost of a meal and the amount of the tip is a positive correlation because as the meal cost increases, so does the tip amount when tipped as a percentage of the cost.
Step-by-step explanation:
The relationship between the cost of a meal and the amount of the tip is typically a positive correlation. This means that as the cost of a meal increases, the amount of tip given tends to increase as well. People generally tip a percentage of the total bill, so when the bill amount is higher, the tip in absolute terms is also higher. The concept of positive correlation is illustrated by a scatter plot where the data points form a pattern that rises from left to right, and the correlation coefficient (r) value is between 0 and 1.
An easy way to visualize this is to think about the way tips are calculated; often they are a set percentage of the meal price (like 15-20%). So, as the cost of the meal goes up, so does the absolute value of the tip assuming the percentage remains the same. This illustrates a direct, positive relationship between the two variables.