Which statement best describes the strength of Pearson's r?

Which statement best describes the strength of Pearson's r?

• A. Strength increases as r approaches 0.
• B. Strength is determined by the magnitude of r; farther from 0 means stronger.
• C. Any nonzero r indicates strong strength.
• D. Strength does not relate to distance from zero.

Answer: (B)

The core idea is that the strength of a Pearson correlation is about how far the value is from zero, in terms of its magnitude. Pearson’s r ranges from -1 to 1. The sign shows the direction of the linear relationship (positive or negative), but the strength is determined by how large the absolute value is. When |r| is close to 1, the data points lie tightly around a straight line, indicating a strong linear relationship. When |r| is close to 0, the points are more scattered, indicating a weak or no linear relationship. Importantly, even a small nonzero r means there is some linear association, but it does not imply a strong strength. So, the statement that strength is determined by the magnitude of r, with farther from zero meaning stronger, correctly captures this idea.

The core idea is that the strength of a Pearson correlation is about how far the value is from zero, in terms of its magnitude. Pearson’s r ranges from -1 to 1. The sign shows the direction of the linear relationship (positive or negative), but the strength is determined by how large the absolute value is. When |r| is close to 1, the data points lie tightly around a straight line, indicating a strong linear relationship. When |r| is close to 0, the points are more scattered, indicating a weak or no linear relationship. Importantly, even a small nonzero r means there is some linear association, but it does not imply a strong strength. So, the statement that strength is determined by the magnitude of r, with farther from zero meaning stronger, correctly captures this idea.