Korrelált

Korrelált is a term used in statistics and probability theory to describe a relationship between two or more random variables. When variables are correlated, it means that changes in one variable are associated with changes in another. This association can be positive, negative, or zero.

Positive correlation indicates that as one variable increases, the other tends to increase as well. For example, the height and weight of individuals often show a positive correlation. Negative correlation suggests that as one variable increases, the other tends to decrease. An example of this might be the inverse relationship between the price of a product and the quantity demanded. Zero correlation implies that there is no linear relationship between the variables, although a non-linear relationship might still exist.

The strength and direction of a correlation are typically measured by a correlation coefficient, most commonly Pearson's r. This coefficient ranges from -1 to +1. A value of +1 indicates a perfect positive linear correlation, -1 indicates a perfect negative linear correlation, and 0 indicates no linear correlation.

It is important to note that correlation does not imply causation. Just because two variables are correlated does not mean that one causes the other. There may be a third, unobserved variable influencing both, or the relationship might be coincidental. Understanding correlation is a fundamental step in data analysis for identifying patterns and relationships, but further investigation is often needed to establish causal links.