Question

a restaurant manager collected data on the number of customers in a party in the restaurant and the time elapsed until the party left the restaurant. the manager computed a correlation of 0.78 between the two variables. what information does the correlation provide about the relationship between the number of customers in a party at the restaurant and the time elapsed until the party left the restaurant?

a the relationship is linear because the correlation is positive.

b the relationship is not linear because the correlation is positive.

c the parties with a larger number of customers are associated with the longer times elapsed until the party left the restaurant.

d the parties with a larger number of customers are associated with the shorter times elapsed until the party left the restaurant.

e there is no relationship between the number of customers in a party at a table in the restaurant and the time required until the party left the restaurant.

Explanation:

The correlation coefficient measures the strength and direction of a linear relationship. A positive correlation (0.78 in this case) means that as one variable (number of customers in a party) increases, the other variable (time elapsed until the party left) also tends to increase. It does not imply linearity just because it's positive.

Answer:

C. The parties with a larger number of customers are associated with the longer times elapsed until the party left the restaurant.