Final Answer:
A statistical technique that helps identify commonalities between different sets of data is called c) Correlation. option C is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
Correlation is a statistical technique that helps identify commonalities between different sets of data. It measures the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables. The correlation coefficient, denoted by "r," ranges from -1 to 1. A positive correlation indicates a direct relationship, while a negative correlation suggests an inverse relationship. The closer the correlation coefficient is to 1 or -1, the stronger the relationship between the variables.
In the context of the options provided, regression (a) is a technique used to predict one variable based on the value of another, standard deviation (b) measures the spread of data points, and factor analysis (d) is a method to identify underlying factors influencing observed variables. Correlation, however, specifically assesses the association between two variables. Mathematically, the correlation coefficient (r) is calculated as the covariance of the two variables divided by the product of their standard deviations. The formula is expressed as:
![\[ r = \frac{\sum{(X_i - \bar{X})(Y_i - \bar{Y})}}{\sqrt{\sum{(X_i - \bar{X})^2} \sum{(Y_i - \bar{Y})^2}}} \]](https://img.qammunity.org/2024/formulas/mathematics/high-school/k4s73ukf0x3a14duqqf5txo06lty45n06d.png)
Here,
and
represent individual data points,
and
are the means of X and Y, and the numerator and denominator correspond to the covariance and standard deviations, respectively. By computing the correlation coefficient, analysts can discern the strength and direction of the relationship between the two variables, aiding in understanding commonalities in the datasets under consideration.