How do you identify negative correlation in a scatter plot?

You identify negative correlation in a scatter plot by observing if the points slope downwards from left to right.

In more detail, a scatter plot is a type of graph used to display values for typically two variables for a set of data. When you plot these values, each pair of variables is represented as a point on the graph. To identify a negative correlation, you need to look at the overall direction in which the points are trending. If the points tend to go downwards as you move from the left side of the graph to the right side, this indicates a negative correlation. This means that as one variable increases, the other variable tends to decrease.

For example, imagine you are plotting the number of hours studied and the number of mistakes made on a test. If the scatter plot shows that as the number of hours studied increases, the number of mistakes decreases, the points will form a downward slope. This downward trend is a clear sign of a negative correlation.

In mathematical terms, a negative correlation is represented by a correlation coefficient (often denoted as 'r') that is less than 0 and greater than -1. The closer the value of 'r' is to -1, the stronger the negative correlation. However, for GCSE Maths, you usually just need to recognise the pattern visually rather than calculate the exact value.

So, when you look at a scatter plot, remember to check the overall direction of the points. If they slope downwards from left to right, you have identified a negative correlation.