Final answer:
The correlation coefficient measures the strength and direction of the relationship between variables. A positive coefficient indicates a positive relationship, while a negative coefficient indicates a negative relationship. The closer the coefficient is to 1, the stronger the relationship.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correlation coefficient, r, measures the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables. It ranges from -1 to 1. A positive correlation coefficient indicates a positive relationship between variables, meaning they move in the same direction. A negative correlation coefficient indicates a negative relationship, where the variables move in opposite directions. The closer the correlation coefficient is to 1 (positive or negative), the stronger the relationship between the variables.