Question

which scatter plot shows a negative linear association in the data?

Explanation:

Step1: Recall negative linear association

A negative linear association means as \( x \) increases, \( y \) generally decreases, and the points follow a roughly straight - line pattern.

Step2: Analyze each scatter plot

• For the first scatter plot (top - left): As \( x \) values increase (from left to right), the \( y \) values generally decrease, and the points seem to follow a linear trend.
• For the second scatter plot (top - right): The points do not show a clear trend of \( y \) decreasing as \( x \) increases; there is a more random or non - linear pattern.
• For the third scatter plot (bottom - left): The points are more clustered in two groups and do not show a clear negative linear trend.
• For the fourth scatter plot (bottom - right): The points seem to show a positive trend (as \( x \) increases, \( y \) increases) or a non - linear pattern.

Answer:

The top - left scatter plot (the first one among the four given scatter plots) shows a negative linear association.