Which of the following values of the correlation coefficient $r$ indicates the strongest correlation?

• A. $0.60$
• B. $0.95$
• C. $0.10$
• D. $-0.85$

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Recall that the correlation coefficient \( r \) measures the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two variables, and its values range from \( -1 \) to \( 1 \).
2. Understand that the strength of the correlation is determined by the absolute value of \( r \), regardless of whether it is positive or negative. The closer \( |r| \) is to 1, the stronger the correlation.
3. Calculate the absolute values of the given correlation coefficients: \( |0.60| = 0.60 \), \( |0.95| = 0.95 \), \( |0.10| = 0.10 \), and \( |-0.85| = 0.85 \).
4. Compare these absolute values to identify which one is the largest, indicating the strongest correlation.
5. Conclude that the correlation coefficient with the highest absolute value represents the strongest linear relationship among the options.