Mini Lesson Question
Question #2: Identify Positive and Negative Trends
Identify Positive and Negative Trends
Scatter plots may have a strong linear trend or a weak linear trend. A strong positive trend means as one variable increases, the other variable increases, A strong negative trend means as one variable increases, the other variable decreases. A weak linear pattern means the points are more scattered.
Try it
Try It: Identify Positive and Negative Trends
Does the scatter plot show a positive or negative trend? Is the relationship weak or strong?
Here is how to describe the relationship:
As the -values increase, the -values decrease. The trend is negative. The relationship is linear, but the points are scattered, so the relationship is weak.
Check Your Understanding
The scatter plot shows the relationship between crocodiles body mass in pounds, , and bite force in pounds, . Which statement best describes the relationship between body mass and bite force?
Multiple Choice:
There appears to be a positive relationship between bite force and body mass. The greater the body mass, the greater the bite force tends to be.
There appears to be a positive relationship between bite force and body mass. The greater the body mass, the lighter the bite force tends to be.
There appears to be a negative relationship between bite force and body mass. The greater the body mass, the greater the bite force tends to be.
There appears to be a negative relationship between bite force and body mass. The greater the body mass, the lighter the bite force tends to be.
There appears to be a positive relationship between bite force and body mass. The greater the body mass, the greater the bite force tends to be.
That’s Check yourself: As the body mass of the crocodiles increases, so does the bite force. Since both quantities are increasing, there appears to be a positive relationship.
Video: Trends in a Scatter Plot
Khan Academy: More on Scatter Plots
The following video shows how to identify positive and negative trends in a scatter plot.