Which option best describes strong correlation?

• A. There is no linear relationship.
• B. The data are widely scattered around a line.
• C. The correlation coefficient is near 0.
• D. The correlation coefficient is near 1 or -1.

Answer: (D)

Strong correlation occurs when two variables move together in a consistently linear way, so the points on a scatterplot fall close to a straight line. That tight pattern shows the strength of the linear relationship, reflected by a correlation coefficient with large magnitude—near positive one if the line slopes upward, or near negative one if it slopes downward. So describing a correlation coefficient near 1 or -1 best captures strong correlation. If there’s no linear pattern, there’s no linear relationship; if the points are widely scattered around a line, the relationship is weak; a coefficient near zero indicates little or no linear association.