The correlation coefficient describes:a.Magnitudeb.Directionc.Both magnitude and directiond.None of theseClear my choice

Understanding the Correlation Coefficient

1. Definition: The correlation coefficient is a statistical measure that describes the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables.

2. Magnitude:

   • The magnitude indicates how strong the correlation is, ranging from -1 to 1.
   • A value close to 1 implies a strong positive correlation, while a value close to -1 indicates a strong negative correlation.

3. Direction:

   • The sign of the correlation coefficient (positive or negative) indicates the direction of the relationship.
   • A positive correlation means that as one variable increases, the other variable tends to increase as well.
   • A negative correlation means that as one variable increases, the other tends to decrease.

Final Answer

Based on this explanation, the correlation coefficient describes c. Both magnitude and direction.