Final answer:
If the coefficient is close to 0, it means that the variables have a weak relationship and changes in one variable are not very predictable as the other variable changes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The number portion of the correlation coefficient indicates the strength of the relationship between variables. If the coefficient is close to 0, it means that the variables have a weak relationship and changes in one variable are not very predictable as the other variable changes. For example, a correlation coefficient of 0.3 indicates a weaker relationship compared to a coefficient of 0.9. Therefore, if the coefficient is close to 0, it means that the variables are not strongly related.
1