A researcher wants to determine whether the rate of water flow (in liters per second) over an experimental soil bed can be used to predict the amount of soil washed away (in kilograms). The researcher measures the amount of soil washed away for various flow rates and, from these data, calculates the least-squares regression line to be amount of eroded soil = 0.4 + 1.3 × (flow rate)
What can be concluded about the correlation between amount of eroded soil and flow rate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The given regression line has a positive slope (1.3), which indicates a positive correlation between the amount of eroded soil and flow rate. However, the value of the correlation coefficient is not provided, so we cannot specify the exact value. Hence, option C is the best choice. Option A and B are incorrect because they assume a specific value for the correlation coefficient. Option D is incorrect because the given information establishes a definite positive correlation between the two variables.

A Researcher Wants to Determine Whether the Rate of Water