Question

if the variables x and y have a strong positive correlation, what generally happens to y as x increases? what if x and y have a strong negative correlation?

Answer 1

If there is a strong positive correlation between "x" and "y" then when "x" increases, "y" tends to increase

If variables x and y have strong negative correlation then as "x" increases in value, "y" will decrease; similarly, if "x" decreases in value, "y" will increase

Solution:

1) If the variables x and y have a strong positive correlation, what generally happens to y as x increases?

Let us first understand about strong positive correlation

Given that "x" and "y" has strong positive correlation

Correlation coefficients are used to measure the strength of the relationship between two variables.

Positive correlation:

Positive correlation is a relationship between two variables in which both variables move in tandem—that is, in the same direction.  A positive correlation exists when one variable decreases as the other variable decreases, or one variable increases while the other increases.

When one variable moves higher or lower, the other variable moves in the same direction with the same magnitude.

Therefore if there is a strong positive correlation between "x" and "y" then when "x" increases, "y" tends to increase

2) What if x and y have a strong negative correlation?

Negative correlation is a relationship between two variables in which one variable increases as the other decreases, and vice versa.

Negative correlation is a relationship between two variables whereby they move in opposite directions.

If variables x and y have strong negative correlation then as "x" increases in value, "y" will decrease; similarly, if "x" decreases in value, "y" will increase