What does correlation mean in a graph?

1 Answer
Mar 1, 2017

Correlation is how well data can be fitted to a line.

Explanation:

Typically data refers to a scatterplot. If the data can be represented by a line and the line has a positive slope, then it has a positive correlation. If the line has a negative slope, then the correlation is negative.

The absolute value of the correlation coefficient #(|r|)# of the line has values from #0 to 1.0#.

The closer #|r|# is to #1.0# the better the data fits the regression line (the line that fits the data best).

In summary: Correlation is how well data can be fitted to a line.