Which of the following best completes the statement: $\mathrm{correlation}$ means that ________.

• A. there is a statistical association between two variables
• B. the variables are both categorical
• C. one variable causes changes in another variable
• D. the two variables have identical values

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of correlation: Correlation measures the strength and direction of a linear relationship between two quantitative variables.
2. Recall that correlation does not imply causation, meaning that even if two variables are correlated, it does not mean one causes the other to change.
3. Recognize that correlation involves a statistical association, which means the variables tend to vary together in some systematic way.
4. Note that correlation is not about variables having identical values, but rather about how they move in relation to each other (positively or negatively).
5. Also, correlation typically applies to quantitative variables, not categorical variables, so the statement about both variables being categorical is incorrect.