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Linear Relationships

Researchers are normally interested in the relationship between variables. In accounting,

linear relationship is a statistical term that can be represented in a graphical format whereby the

variable and the constant are connected using a straight line. However, a regression line can

either indicate a positive, negative or no relationship. While variables in a positive linear

relationship move in the same direction, in negative correlation they move in inverse directions.

This paper discusses the difference between positive and negative linear relationships.

As earlier mentioned, a positive relationship exits when two variables move in the same

direction. In some cases, this existence is because one variable tends to influence the other,

which explains dependent and independent variables. In other words, when one variable

increases, the other one increases too. A basic example of a positive relationship is weight and

height such that taller people tend to have more weight. The inverse is also true (Zou, Kemal,

and Stuart 620). In statistics, a positive linear relationship is represented by +1. If a straight line

on a graph moves upwards from left to right, it shows a steady rate of increase, which means that

it has a positive linear relationship.

Negative relationship on the other hand means that variables move in opposite directions. In

other words, when one variable increases, the other one decreases or vice versa. For instance,
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when a vehicle increases its speed, the time taken to reach its destination point decreases (Zou,

Kemal, and Stuart 620). Statistically, a negative linear relationship is represented by the value -1.

If a straight line on a graph moves downwards from left to right, it shows a steady rate of

decrease, which means that it has a negative linear relationship.

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Work Cited

Zou, Kelly, Kemal Tuncali, and Stuart Silverman. “Correlation and simple linear regression.”

Radiology vol. 227, no. 3, 2003, pp. 617-628