A student conducting a research study was told by her professor to use a scatterplot in conjunction with calculating the correlation coefficient.She discovered that the data points clustered along a straight line.This means:
A)the student cannot determine if a relationship exists
B)no relationship exists between variables
C)a nonlinear relationship exists between variables
D)a linear relationship exists between variables

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When data points cluster along a straight line in a scatterplot, it indicates a linear relationship between the variables. This means as one variable increases or decreases, the other variable tends to increase or decrease in a predictable manner. Calculating the correlation coefficient would further quantify the strength and direction of this linear relationship.

A Student Conducting a Research Study Was Told by Her