What is the purpose of the correlation coefficient How would

What is the purpose of the correlation coefficient? How would you interpret the values?

Solution

In statistics, the correlation coefficient r measures the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables on a scatterplot. The value of r is always between +1 and –1.

To interpret its value, see which of the following values your correlation r is closest to:

Exactly –1. A perfect downhill (negative) linear relationship

–0.70. A strong downhill (negative) linear relationship

–0.50. A moderate downhill (negative) relationship

–0.30. A weak downhill (negative) linear relationship

0. No linear relationship

+0.30. A weak uphill (positive) linear relationship

+0.50. A moderate uphill (positive) relationship

+0.70. A strong uphill (positive) linear relationship

Exactly +1. A perfect uphill (positive) linear relationship