What is a Scatter Plot?

Unlike normal line graphs (which usually show change over time), Scatter Plots show the relationship between two completely different things.

Imagine we ask 100 people two questions:

  • Positive Correlation (Going UP): "How tall are you?" vs. "What represents your shoe size?" (Taller people usually have bigger feet).
  • Negative Correlation (Going DOWN): "How fast do you drive?" vs. "Time to arrive?" (Faster driving means less time).
  • No Correlation (Random): "How much tea do you drink?" vs. "How smart are you?" (Probably no link at all!).

Relationships & Correlation Reference

Type Meaning Visual Description
Positive Correlation As X increases, Y increases. Dots go up from left to right.
Negative Correlation As X increases, Y decreases. Dots go down from left to right.
No Correlation No relationship between X and Y. Dots are scattered randomly.
Strong vs. Weak How close the points are to a line. Strong: Dots form a tight line.
Weak: Dots are spread out broadly.
Outlier / Anomaly A data point that doesn't fit the pattern. One dot stands far away from the others.

Instruction: Match the description to the Scatter Plot pattern.