Correlation Exploration
Drag these points around. What do you notice? What do you wonder about? Enter your noticings and wonderings after the applet.
Arrange these points so the value of r is as small as possible.
Describe the configuration or pattern of the points that produced the smallest value of r you could find. What is this value of r?
Arrange these points on a horizontal line.
What is the value of r when the points are arranged in a horizontal line? What information do you think r is conveying now? Have your changed your mind about what information r is conveying?
The values of r for different scatterplot shapes.
What information is conveyed by the value of r? What do all the patterns in the bottom row have a value of r equal to zero?
What is YOUR definition of r after completing this classroom activity?