Given a dataset where as one variable increases, the other variable tends to decrease in a nearly linear fashion, which of the following values is most likely to be the correlation coefficient for this data?

• A. $-0.93$
• B. $0.27$
• C. $-0.27$
• D. $0.93$

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that the correlation coefficient, denoted as \(r\), measures the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables.
2. Recall that \(r\) ranges from \(-1\) to \$1\(, where values close to \)1\( indicate a strong positive linear relationship, values close to \)-1\( indicate a strong negative linear relationship, and values near \)0$ indicate little to no linear relationship.
3. Since the problem states that as one variable increases, the other tends to decrease in a nearly linear fashion, this suggests a strong negative linear relationship.
4. Therefore, the correlation coefficient should be a value close to \(-1\), indicating a strong negative correlation.
5. Among the given options, identify the value that is both negative and close to \(-1\), which best represents the described relationship.