11.8 - Causation vs. Correlation

Front

What is the difference between causation and correlation?

Back

Causation indicates that one event is the result of the occurrence of another event, while correlation indicates a relationship or association between two variables without implying that one causes the other.

Front

What does it mean if two variables are correlated?

Back

It means that there is a statistical relationship between the two variables, but it does not imply that one variable causes the other.

Front

What is an example of correlation without causation?

Back

The correlation between ice cream sales and drowning incidents; both increase in summer, but one does not cause the other.

Front

What is an example of causation?

Back

If you increase the amount of fertilizer used on a plant, it may grow taller; the fertilizer causes the growth.

Front

What does a strong positive correlation indicate?

Back

It indicates that as one variable increases, the other variable also increases.

Front

What does a strong negative correlation indicate?

Back

It indicates that as one variable increases, the other variable decreases.

Front

What does 'no correlation' mean?

Back

It means there is no statistical relationship between the two variables; changes in one do not affect the other.

Front

How can you determine if a correlation is significant?

Back

By using statistical tests such as Pearson's correlation coefficient to measure the strength and direction of the relationship.

Front

What is a scatter plot?

Back

A scatter plot is a graph that shows the relationship between two quantitative variables, with points representing individual data points.

Front

What is the purpose of a line of best fit in a scatter plot?

Back

To summarize the relationship between the variables and make predictions based on the data.