Question

Researchers measured the percent body fat and the preferred amount of salt (percent weight/volume) for several children. Here are data for seven children:
Preferred amount of salt x 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.7 0.9 1.1
Percent body fat y 20 30 22 30 38 23 30
Use your calculator or software: The correlation between percent body fat and preferred amount of salt is about which of the following?
a) τ = 0.08.
b) τ = 0.3.
c) τ = 0.8.

Answer 1

Answer: b) τ = 0.3

Step-by-step explanation:

Given the data :

Amount of salt (x)____% body fat(y)

0.2 _______________20

0.3 _______________30

0.4 _______________22

0.5 _______________30

0.7 _______________38

0.9 _______________23

1.1 ________________30

The correlation Coefficient as obtained from the online pearson correlation Coefficient calculator is 0.3281 = 0.3 (to one decimal place) which implies that a weak positive correlation or relationship exists between the preferred amount of salt taken to the percentage body weight of an individual. This is because the value is positive and closer to 0 than 1. The closer the weaker the degree of correlation. With positive values implying a positive relationship (that is an increase in variable A leads to a corresponding increase in B and vice-versa).