Final answer:
The situation described represents correlation rather than causation. Correlation measures the relationship between two variables, indicating whether they tend to move together or in opposite directions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The situation described represents correlation rather than causation. Correlation measures the relationship between two variables, indicating whether they tend to move together or in opposite directions. In this case, the negative correlation between owning a cell phone and riding the bus to school means that as the ownership of cell phones increases, the likelihood of riding the bus decreases.
However, correlation does not imply causation. It does not prove that owning a cell phone causes students to not ride the bus. There may be other factors at play, such as the availability of alternative transportation or personal preference, that influence both cell phone ownership and bus riding habits.