1.1 Lesson - Correlation vs. Causation

​Correlation vs. Causation

​Causation means that x makes y happen. For example, the more cash you spend, the less cash you will have. This example has a correlation AND causation.

BUT… Correlation ≠ Causation.

Example: There may be a correlation between the number of glue sticks in a classroom and the number of students in a classroom. However, adding glue sticks to a classroom does not make more students be in the classroom.

Statement: The more tacos I eat, the more my weight increases

• Can eating more tacos CAUSE someone's weight to increase?

• Yes; so this is CAUSATION

Statement: The hotter the temperature outside, the more ice cream is sold

• Can increased temperature CAUSE more ice cream to be sold?

• No; so this is CORRELATION

Correlation or causation?

Multiple Choice

Which one of these examples is NOT an example of CAUSATION?

• Kryptonite causes Superman to lose all his powers.

• Temperatures of less than 32˚F cause water to freeze.

• Umbrellas cause rainstorms.

• Stepping on the gas pedal causes a car to move faster.

Multiple Choice

Which example shows CAUSATION? (Which one CAUSED the other to happen.)

• High social media usage and reduced grades.

• Car ran out of gas and being stranded on the side of the road.

• Recess time and number of friends.

Multiple Choice

Which example shows CAUSATION? (Which one CAUSED the other to happen.)

• Rainfall and time spent reading.

• Eating more butter and increased divorce rates.

• It started raining and the baseball game was delayed.

Multiple Choice

Which example shows CORRELATION? (The events show correlation, but one thing does NOT cause the other thing to happen.)

• I put water in the freezer and now I have ice.

• The alarm clock went off and I woke up.

• Temperature and the amount of people at the beach.

Multiple Choice

Which example shows a CORRELATION? (The events show correlation, but one thing does NOT cause the other thing to happen.)

• It rained and the ground is wet.

• Ice cream sales increase as temperature increases.