What Is Correlation Analysis?
We often want to know if there's a relationship between two things we can measure with numbers (two quantitative variables). For example:
- Is there a relationship between students' height and weight?
- Do study hours affect exam scores?
- Is the age of a car related to its price?
Correlation Analysis is a statistical method used to measure how strong and in what direction the linear relationship (straight-line pattern) is between two such variables.
Correlation Coefficient
Just saying "there's a relationship" isn't enough. We need a definite measure so everyone has the same understanding. This standard measure is called the Correlation Coefficient, usually denoted by the letter .