What does it mean to say that two variables are negatively correlated?

as one increases, the other decreases.

Thanks for your help steve

When two variables are said to be negatively correlated, it means that there is an inverse relationship between them. In other words, as one variable increases, the other variable decreases, and vice versa. This negative correlation can be visualized by a downward sloping line on a scatter plot.

To determine if two variables are negatively correlated, you can use statistical measures such as the correlation coefficient or scatter plots.

The correlation coefficient (typically denoted as r) is a numerical value that ranges between -1 and 1. A negative correlation coefficient indicates a negative correlation between the variables. The closer the correlation coefficient is to -1, the stronger the negative correlation.

Alternatively, you can plot the values of the two variables on a scatter plot. If the points on the plot appear to form a downward-sloping pattern, assuming no outliers or other sources of error, it suggests a negative correlation between the variables.

By examining the correlation coefficient or visually analyzing a scatter plot, you can determine whether two variables are negatively correlated and understand the nature of their relationship.