Understanding Correlation Coefficients

The correlation coefficient is given, when you perform a linear regression. It is represented by r, and is a number between -1 and 1 that indicates the strength and direction of the linear relationship between two quantitative variables in a bivariate data set, a set of data that uses 2 variables.

When the correlation coefficient is close to 1

There is a strong positive correlation between the two variables. This means that as the x values increase, the y values will also increase. For example,

r = 0.994

When the correlation coefficient is close to 0

There is a weak correlation between the two variables

For example,

r = -0.275

When the correlation coefficient is close to 1

There is a strong negative correlation between the two variables.

For example,

r = -0.996