Suppose that two variables, X and Y, are negatively associated. Does this mean that above-average values of X will always be associated with below-average values of Y? Explain.
Choose the correct answer below.
A. No, because there will always be at least one point that does not fit the trend.
B. No, because association does not mean that every point fits the trend. The negative association only means that above-average values of X are generally associated with below-average values of Y.
C. No, because when two variables, X and Y, are negatively associated, above-average values of X are associated with above-average values of Y.
D. Yes, because if one or more above-average values of X are associated with above-average values of Y, the variables cannot be negatively associated.

I had this same homework problem. Two variables that are linearly related are negatively associated when above-average values of one variable are associated with below-average values of the other variable. That is, two variables are negatively associated if, whenever the value of one variable increases, the value of the other variable decreases. However, this association does not require every point to fit the trend. A negative association means that above-average values of X are generally associated with below-average values of Y.

jbiain jbiain · Answer 2 · 2020-03-17T02:35:10+01:00

Answer:

B. No, because association does not mean that every point fits the trend. The negative association only means that above-average values of X are generally associated with below-average values of Y.

Step-by-step explanation:

If two variables, X and Y, are negatively associated, then the curve that fits its correlation has a negative slope (assuming that the relation was linear). Therefore, when values of X increase, values of Y decrease and vice versa. But this doesn't guarantee that all above-average values of X will always be associated with below-average values of Y because not every point fits the trend.