What type of correlation indicates that as one variable increases, the other decreases?

A negative correlation is a statistical relationship between two variables where an increase in one variable is associated with a decrease in the other variable. This means that as one variable goes up, the other variable tends to go down, highlighting an inverse relationship.

For example, if we consider the relationship between outdoor temperature and the need for heating in a home, as the temperature increases, the need for heating typically decreases. This kind of relationship can be visualized on a graph where the data points trend downward from left to right, indicating that as the independent variable increases, the dependent variable decreases.

While "inverse correlation" often describes a similar concept, it is not as commonly used in statistical terminology as "negative correlation." The other options describe different types of relationships; positive correlation indicates both variables move in the same direction, while no correlation suggests there is no predictable relationship between the two variables. Understanding negative correlation is crucial for interpreting data correctly, especially in fields like economics, psychology, and health sciences where understanding relationships between different factors is essential.