Statistics
Study of data collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation.
Advanced Topics
Correlation and Causation
Understanding Relationships
Sometimes data sets move together, but does one cause the other? That's where correlation and causation come in!
Correlation
Correlation measures how closely two variables move together. It can be:
- Positive: Both increase together.
- Negative: One increases as the other decreases.
- None: No relationship.
Causation
Causation means one event actually causes the other to happen—a much stronger claim!
Why It Matters
Just because two things are linked (correlation) doesn't mean one causes the other (causation). Misunderstanding this can lead to funny or even dangerous mistakes!
Examples in Real Life
- Ice cream sales and sunburns both go up in summer (correlation), but eating ice cream doesn't cause sunburn!
- Studying more usually leads to better test scores (causation).
Examples
Finding that students who sleep more tend to get higher grades (correlation).
Vaccination leading to lower disease rates (causation).
In a Nutshell
Correlation shows relationships; causation means one thing actually makes another happen.