Which of these r-values represents the weakest correlation?
A. 0.5
B. 0.4
C. 0.6
D. 0.3
The correct answer and explanation is :
Correct Answer:
D. 0.3
Explanation:
The correlation coefficient, denoted as r, measures the strength and direction of the relationship between two variables. The value of r ranges from -1 to 1:
- r = 1: Perfect positive correlation
- r = -1: Perfect negative correlation
- r = 0: No correlation
When comparing the given r-values (0.5, 0.4, 0.6, and 0.3), we must determine which one is closest to 0, indicating the weakest correlation.
- 0.6: Stronger correlation
- 0.5: Moderate correlation
- 0.4: Weaker than 0.5 but still moderate
- 0.3: Weakest correlation among the given choices
Since 0.3 is closest to zero, it represents the weakest correlation. This means that while there is still some relationship between the two variables, it is not as strong as the others.
Understanding Weak Correlation
A correlation of 0.3 suggests that the relationship between the variables is weak and might not be reliable for making predictions. In practical terms, if we were analyzing the relationship between study time and test scores, an r-value of 0.3 would indicate that study time has only a weak impact on test scores, implying other factors play a more significant role.
In contrast, higher r-values like 0.6 suggest a stronger relationship, meaning the variables are more closely related.
Thus, among the given options, r = 0.3 represents the weakest correlation.