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What is correlation?

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Correlation refers to a statistical relationship between two variables, where changes in one variable are associated with changes in another. However, correlation does not imply that one variable causes the other to change.

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What is causation?

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Causation indicates that one event is the result of the occurrence of another event. In other words, a change in one variable directly causes a change in another.

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Example of correlation: Ice cream sales and temperature.

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As temperature increases, ice cream sales also increase. This is a correlation, but it does not mean that higher temperatures cause more ice cream to be sold.

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CCSS.HSS.ID.C.9

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Example of causation: Rain causes the ground to be wet.

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When it rains, the ground becomes wet. This is a clear cause-and-effect relationship.

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What does a correlation coefficient of r = 1 indicate?

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A correlation coefficient of r = 1 indicates a perfect positive correlation, meaning that as one variable increases, the other variable also increases in a perfectly linear manner.

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What does a correlation coefficient of r = -1 indicate?

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A correlation coefficient of r = -1 indicates a perfect negative correlation, meaning that as one variable increases, the other variable decreases in a perfectly linear manner.

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What does a correlation coefficient of r = 0 indicate?

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A correlation coefficient of r = 0 indicates no correlation between the two variables, meaning that changes in one variable do not predict changes in the other.

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Can correlation imply causation?

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No, correlation does not imply causation. Just because two variables are correlated does not mean that one causes the other.

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Example of a spurious correlation: Number of people who drowned and ice cream sales.

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Both may increase during summer months, but one does not cause the other.

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What is a scatterplot?

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A scatterplot is a graphical representation of two variables, showing the relationship between them. Each point represents an observation.

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