Algebra 1-Unit 3-Lesson 07-09 - The Correlation Coefficient, Using The Correlation Coefficient, & Causal Relationships

Unit 3
Two-variable Statistics ALGEBRA 1
Lesson 7
The Correlation Coefficient
Unit 3 ● Lesson 7
Learning Let’s see how good a linear

Goal model is for some data.
Algebra
1
Linear Models
Warm-up: Which One Doesn’t Belong?
Which one doesn’t belong?
Unit 3 ● Lesson 7 ● Activity 1

Slides are CC BY NC Kendall Hunt Publishing. Curriculum excerpts are CC BY Illustrative Mathematics.
Scatter Plot Fit
Pay attention
to the
correlation
coefficient for
these graphs.
Note the fit as
compared to
the correlation
coefficient.

Plot Fit (continued)

Matching Correlation Coefficients
r is called a correlation coefficient. A correlation

coefficient is one way to measure the strength of a
linear relationship.
1. The sign of r is the same as the sign of the slope of
the best fit line.
2. The values for r go from -1 to 1, inclusive.
3. The closer r is to 1 or -1, the stronger the linear
relationship between the variables.
4. The closer r is to 0, the weaker the linear relationship
between the variables.

1. Take turns with your partner

to match a scatter plot with
a correlation coefficient.
(I’d suggest one of you on
this slide and one on the
next so you can see them
both.)
2. For each match you find,
explain to your partner how
you know it’s a match.
3. For each match your partner
finds, listen carefully to their
explanation. If you disagree,
discuss your thinking and
work to reach an agreement.


● What does the sign of the correlation coefficient tell

you about the data?
● What does it mean to have a correlation coefficient
of 1 or -1?

The Correlation Coefficient
Lesson Synthesis
● What might a scatter plot look like when its line of best fit
has a correlation coefficient of 0.9? Sketch it.
● What does a scatter plot look like when its line of best fit has
a correlation coefficient of -0.5? Sketch it.
● One line of best fit has a correlation coefficient of 0.88, and
the other line of best fit has a correlation coefficient of -0.88.
Han claims that the one with a positive correlation coefficient
fits its data better. Is Han correct? Explain your reasoning.
● Why is it important to know the correlation coefficient for a
linear model?
Unit 3 ● Lesson 7
Unit 3 ● Lesson 7
● I can describe the

goodness of fit of a linear Learning
model using the Targets
correlation coefficient.
● I can match the
correlation coefficient with
a scatter plot and linear Algebra
model. 1
What Is a Correlation Coefficient?
LessonCool-down
Synthesis
1. What information does a correlation coefficient tell you

about the data in a scatter plot?
2. Which value best estimates the value for the correlation
coefficient of the scatter plot: -1, -0.8, -0.2, 0.2, 0.8, or 1?
Explain your reasoning.

Glossary
correlation coefficient
A number between -1 and 1 that describes the strength and direction of a
linear association between two numerical variables. The sign of the
correlation coefficient is the same as the sign of the slope of the best fit
line. The closer the correlation coefficient is to 0, the weaker the linear
relationship. When the correlation coefficient is closer to 1 or -1, the linear
model fits the data better.
The first figure shows a correlation coefficient which is close to 1, the
second a correlation coefficient which is positive but closer to 0, and the
third a correlation coefficient which is close to -1.
Unit 3 ● Lesson 7
Pause for Practice
LessonCool-down
Synthesis
Pause here to complete Homework 3.7
When you are finished (corrections as well!), move on to the next slide.
Unit 3
Lesson 8
Using the Correlation Coefficient
Unit 3 ● Lesson 8
Learning Let’s look closer at

Goal correlation coefficients.
Algebra
1
Putting the Numbers in Context
Warm-up
Match the variables to the scatter plot you think they best fit. Be prepared
to explain your reasoning.
x variable y variable
1. daily low temperature in Celsius for Denver, CO boxes of cereal in stock at a grocery in Miami, FL
2. average number of free throws shot in a season basketball team score per game
3. measured student height in feet measured student height in inches
average number of minutes spent in a waiting

4. hospital satisfaction rating
room

Putting the Numbers in Context
Warm-up
● How did the concept of linear relationships help you to make

a match?
● How did you use the concept of linearity to help you to make
a match?
● Which matches were the most difficult? What helped you
figure them out?

Never Know How Far You’ll Go
Priya takes note of the distance the car drives and the time it takes to get to
the destination for many trips.
distance (mi) (x) travel time (min) (y)
2 4
5 7 30 36
10 11 32 35
10 15 40 37
12 16 50 51
15 22 65 70
20 23 78 72
25 25
26 28

1. Distance is one factor that influences the travel time of Priya’s car trips.
What are some other factors?
2. Which of these factors (including distance) most likely has the most
consistent influence for all the car trips? Explain your reasoning.
3. Use technology to create a scatter plot of the data and add the best fit
line to the graph.
4. What do the slope and y-intercept for the line of best fit mean in this
situation?
5. Use technology to find the correlation coefficient for this data. Based
on the value, how would you describe the strength of the linear
relationship?
6. How long do you think it would take Priya to make a trip of 90 miles if
the linear relationship continues? If she drives 90 miles, do you think
the prediction you made will be close to the actual value? Explain your
reasoning.

● What is a positive relationship? A negative relationship?
● How do you determine if the relationship is strong or not?
● How would you describe the relationship between distance and time
for Priya’s trips? Explain your reasoning.
● How would you describe the relationship between wait time and
customer satisfaction? The correlation coefficient is r = -0.52.
● What is an example of data with a strong, negative relationship?

Correlation Zoo
Here’s an example of the type of response you are aiming for

in this activity:
“The cost of a package of light bulbs and the number of
light bulbs in the package has a correlation coefficient
value near 1. This means that these variables have a very
strong, positive relationship. In other words, the price of
the package is very closely related to the number of light
bulbs in the package (strong relationship) and when one
of the variables goes up, the other variable tends to go up,
too (positive relationship).”

Correlation Zoo
For each situation, describe the relationship between the variables, based
on the correlation coefficient. Make sure to mention whether there is a
strong relationship or not as well as whether it is a positive relationship
or negative relationship.
1. Number of steps taken per day and number of kilometers walked per
day. r = 0.92
2. Temperature of a rubber band and distance the rubber band can
stretch. r = 0.84
3. Car weight and distance traveled using a full tank of gas. r = -0.86
4. Average fat intake per citizen of a country and average cancer rate of a
country. r = 0.73
5. Score on science exam and number of words written on the essay
question. r = 0.28
6. Average time spent listening to music per day and average time spent
watching TV per day. r = -0.17

Correlation Zoo
● Do these correlations make sense based on what

you understand about these variables?
● Based on the information here, does a greater fat
intake cause cancer?
● What does it mean for the relationship between the
score on a science exam and the number of words
written to be weak and positive?

Using the Correlation Coefficient
Lesson Synthesis
● What does it mean for two variables to have a weak,

positive relationship?
● If the r-value for a line of best fit in a scatter plot is
0.8, what would you expect the data in the scatter
plot to look like?
● What does the correlation coefficient tell you about
the relationship between two variables?
Unit 3 ● Lesson 8
Unit 3 ● Lesson 8
● I can describe the strength

of a relationship between Learning
two variables. Targets
● I can use technology to
find the correlation
coefficient and explain
what the value tells me Algebra
about a linear model in 1
everyday language.
How Bad Is It, Doc?
LessonCool-down
Synthesis
Doctors suspect a strain of bacteria found in the hospital is

becoming resistant to antibiotics. They put various
concentrations of antibiotic in petri dishes and add some of the
bacteria to allow it to grow. The bacteria grow into groups in the
dish called colonies. After some time, the doctors return to the
petri dishes and count the number of colonies for the different
amounts of antibiotic.
The data is plotted with a best fit line. The correlation coefficient
was r = -0.83.

How Bad Is It, Doc?
LessonCool-down
Synthesis
1. What does the sign of the correlation coefficient tell you

about the relationship between the number of bacteria
colonies and the concentration of antibiotic in the dish?
2. What does the numerical value of the correlation coefficient
tell you about the relationship between the number of
bacteria colonies and the concentration of antibiotic in the
dish?
3. In a follow-up study, a group of scientists collect data that
was fit by a linear model with a correlation coefficient of
r = -0.94. Which study suggests a stronger relationship
between the number of bacteria colonies and the
concentration of antibiotic—the doctors’ study or the
scientists’ study? Explain your reasoning.

Glossary
negative relationship
A relationship between two numerical variables is negative
if an increase in the data for one variable tends to be
paired with a decrease in the data for the other variable.
Unit 3 ● Lesson 8
Glossary
positive relationship
A relationship between two numerical variables is
positive if an increase in the data for one variable tends
to be paired with an increase in the data for the other
variable.
Unit 3 ● Lesson 8
Glossary
strong relationship
A relationship between two numerical variables is
strong if the data is tightly clustered around the best fit
line.
Unit 3 ● Lesson 8
Glossary
weak relationship
A relationship between two numerical variables is weak
if the data is loosely spread around the best fit line.
Unit 3 ● Lesson 8
Pause for Practice
LessonCool-down
Synthesis
Pause here to complete Homework 3.8
When you are finished (corrections as well!), move on to the next slide.
Unit 3
Lesson 9
Causal Relationships
(Causal, not casual)

Unit 3 ● Lesson 9
Learning Let’s get a closer look at

Goal related variables.
Algebra
1
Used Car Relationships
Warm-up
Describe the strength and sign of the relationship you expect for
each pair of variables. Explain your reasoning.Used car price and
original sale price of the car.
1. Used car price and number of cup holders in the car.
2. Used car price and number of oil changes the car has had.
3. Used car price and number of miles the car has been driven.

Used Car Relationships
Warm-up
● How is the relationship between the car price and number of

oil changes similar to the relationship between the car price
and number of miles driven?
● How is the relationship between the car price and number of
oil changes different from the relationship between the car
price and number of miles driven?

Cause or Effect?
Each of the scatter plots show a strong relationship. Write a sentence or
two describing how you think the variables are related.
1. During the month of April, Elena

keeps track of the number of inches
of rain recorded for the day and the
percentage of people who come to
school with rain jackets.
2. A school book club has a list of 100

books for its members to read.
They keep track of the number of
pages in the books the members
read from the list and the amount
of time it took to read the book.

Cause or Effect?
3. Number of tickets left for

holiday parties at a venue and
noise level at the party.
4. The height and score on a test

of vocabulary for several
children ages 6 to 13.

Cause or Effect?
● Why does an increase in precipitation cause an increase in

the percentage of people wearing rain jackets?
● An increase in the time it takes to read a book does not
cause the number of pages in the book to increase. Does an
increase in the number of pages in a book cause the time it
takes to read a book to increase? Explain your reasoning.
● The relationship in the height and test score graphs appears
to be strong. Does an increase in height cause an increase in
test scores?

Find Your Cause
Describe a pair of variables with each condition. Explain your

reasoning.
1. Two variables with a causal relationship.
2. The variables are strongly related, but a third factor might be
the cause for the changes in the variables.
3. The variables are only weakly related.

Find Your Cause
● Which pair of variables was the most difficult for you to

describe? Explain your reasoning.
● For question 1, how did you convince yourself or your group
that one variable causes a change in the other?

Causal Relationships
Lesson Synthesis
● How can you determine if there is a causal relationship

between two variables? Explain your reasoning.
● Mai states that the relationship between the number of
miles driven in a taxi and the price of the taxi ride is a causal
relationship. Do you agree with Mai? What other information
would help to further convince you one way or the other?
● Jada states that the relationship between the size of a
pasture and the number of cows kept at various farms is a
causal relationship. Do you agree with Jada? Explain your
reasoning.
Unit 3 ● Lesson 9
Unit 3 ● Lesson 9
I can look for connections

between two variables to Learning
analyze whether or not Targets
there is a causal
relationship.
Algebra
1
Just Cause
LessonCool-down
Synthesis
For each pair of variables, decide whether there is:

● a very weak or no relationship
● a strong relationship that is not a causal relationship
● a causal relationship
Explain your reasoning.
1. number of snow plows owned by a city and mitten sales in
the city
2. number of text messages sent per day by a person and
number of shirts owned by the person
3. price of a pizza and number of calories in the pizza
4. amount of gas used on a trip and number of miles driven on
the trip
Glossary
causal relationship
A relationship is one in which a change in one of the
variables causes a change in the other variable.
Unit 3 ● Lesson 9
Pause for Practice
LessonCool-down
Synthesis
Complete Homework 3.9
When you are finished (corrections as well!), you are really finished.
Congratulations!!!
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International License (CC BY 4.0).
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Algebra 1-Unit 3-Lesson 07-09 - The Correlation Coefficient, Using The Correlation Coefficient, & Causal Relationships

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Algebra 1-Unit 3-Lesson 07-09 - The Correlation Coefficient, Using The Correlation Coefficient, & Causal Relationships

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Unit 3

Two-variable Statistics ALGEBRA 1

Learning Let’s see how good a linear

Which one doesn’t belong?

Unit 3 ● Lesson 7 ● Activity 1

Unit 3 ● Lesson 7 ● Activity 2

Unit 3 ● Lesson 7 ● Activity 2

r is called a correlation coefficient. A correlation

Unit 3 ● Lesson 7 ● Activity 2

1. Take turns with your partner

Unit 3 ● Lesson 7 ● Activity 2

Unit 3 ● Lesson 7 ● Activity 2

● What does the sign of the correlation coefficient tell

Unit 3 ● Lesson 7 ● Activity 2

● I can describe the

1. What information does a correlation coefficient tell you

Unit 3 ● Lesson 7 ● Activity 4

Pause here to complete Homework 3.7

Learning Let’s look closer at

3. measured student height in feet measured student height in inches

average number of minutes spent in a waiting

Unit 3 ● Lesson 8 ● Activity 1

● How did the concept of linear relationships help you to make

Unit 3 ● Lesson 8 ● Activity 1

distance (mi) (x) travel time (min) (y)

Unit 3 ● Lesson 8 ● Activity 2

Unit 3 ● Lesson 8 ● Activity 2

● What is an example of data with a strong, negative relationship?

Here’s an example of the type of response you are aiming for

Unit 3 ● Lesson 8 ● Activity 3

Unit 3 ● Lesson 8 ● Activity 3

● Do these correlations make sense based on what

Unit 3 ● Lesson 8 ● Activity 3

● What does it mean for two variables to have a weak,

● I can describe the strength

Doctors suspect a strain of bacteria found in the hospital is

Unit 3 ● Lesson 8 ● Activity 4

1. What does the sign of the correlation coefficient tell you

Unit 3 ● Lesson 8 ● Activity 4

Pause here to complete Homework 3.8

(Causal, not casual)

Learning Let’s get a closer look at

Unit 3 ● Lesson 9 ● Activity 1

● How is the relationship between the car price and number of

Unit 3 ● Lesson 9 ● Activity 1

1. During the month of April, Elena

2. A school book club has a list of 100

Unit 3 ● Lesson 9 ● Activity 2

3. Number of tickets left for

4. The height and score on a test

Unit 3 ● Lesson 9 ● Activity 2

● Why does an increase in precipitation cause an increase in

Unit 3 ● Lesson 9 ● Activity 2

Describe a pair of variables with each condition. Explain your

Unit 3 ● Lesson 9 ● Activity 3

● Which pair of variables was the most difficult for you to

Unit 3 ● Lesson 9 ● Activity 3

● How can you determine if there is a causal relationship

I can look for connections

For each pair of variables, decide whether there is:

Complete Homework 3.9

All curriculum excerpts are under the following licenses:

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