Which of the following best describes the relationship between two variables in a scatterplot that shows points closely clustered around a straight line that slopes upward from left to right?

• A. There is no relationship between the variables.
• B. There is a strong negative linear relationship between the variables.
• C. There is a strong nonlinear relationship between the variables.
• D. There is a strong positive linear relationship between the variables.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand what a scatterplot represents. A scatterplot is a graphical representation that shows the relationship between two variables by plotting data points on a coordinate plane.
2. Step 2: Identify the pattern of the points. When points are closely clustered around a straight line, it indicates a linear relationship between the two variables.
3. Step 3: Determine the direction of the relationship. If the line slopes upward from left to right, it means that as one variable increases, the other variable also increases, indicating a positive relationship.
4. Step 4: Assess the strength of the relationship. Points closely clustered around the line suggest a strong relationship, meaning the variables are closely related with little scatter.
5. Step 5: Combine these observations to describe the relationship: a strong positive linear relationship means the variables increase together in a predictable, linear manner.