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It's warmer down here There is a roughly linear relationship between the

latitude of major American cities and the average temperature in July. The
correlation for the 12 cities with the largest populations is r = -0.55.24
Interpret this value.
Average July temperature (°F)
95
90
85
80
75
70
28
30
32 34 36
38 40
Latitude
42 44

1 Answer

4 votes

Final answer:

A correlation coefficient (r) of -0.55 between latitude and average July temperature indicates a moderate negative linear correlation, meaning as latitude increases, the July temperature tends to decrease.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correlation coefficient r indicates the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables.

In the context of the relationship between latitude and average July temperature of major American cities, an r value of -0.55 suggests there is a moderate negative linear correlation. This implies that as the latitude increases (meaning moving further north), the average temperature in July tends to decrease.

For every increase of 1 degree in latitude, there is a decrease of approximately 0.55 degrees in the average temperature in July.

However, it's important to note that while there is a correlation between latitude and temperature, other factors such as altitude, ocean currents, and local geography can also influence temperatures in specific locations.

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