The volume of oxygen consumed (in liters per minute) while a person is at rest and while a person is exercising (running on a treadmill) were both measured for 50 subjects. The goal is to determine if the volume of oxygen consumed during aerobic exercise can be estimated from the amount consumed at rest. The results are plotted below. If the outlier is removed, the correlation coefficient r will:
A)increase.
B)decrease.
C)neither increase nor decrease.
D)There is not enough information to determine the effect on r.

Question

The volume of oxygen consumed (in liters per minute) while a person is at rest and while a person is exercising (running on a treadmill) were both measured for 50 subjects. The goal is to determine if the volume of oxygen consumed during aerobic exercise can be estimated from the amount consumed at rest. The results are plotted below.  If the outlier is removed, the correlation coefficient r will:
A)increase. 
B)decrease. 
C)neither increase nor decrease. 
D)There is not enough information to determine the effect on r.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The outlier has a strong influence on the correlation coefficient as it significantly deviates from the pattern of the other points. Removing the outlier will result in a higher correlation coefficient.

The Volume of Oxygen Consumed (In Liters Per Minute) While