Question 581320: Using data from Boston, Massachusetts, a test of independence is run on the claim that ice cream sales per month and the number of car wrecks per month are independent. The claim is rejected.
Using number of car wrecks as the x variable and ice cream sales as the y variable, an r value of r=0.923 is then computed and shown to exceed the critical value for this data. The data is double checked and verified. This shows that car wrecks cause ice cream sales.
NOTE: While this specific r-value is made up, this general pattern has been shown in several real world data sets involving ice cream sales and number of car wrecks in major cities on the east coast of the United States.
***I saw that this question has been asked by another student on Algebra.com however I really did not understand the justification that was given. I am supposed to explain what is wrong and why it is wrong.
Answer by stanbon(75887)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website! Using data from Boston, Massachusetts, a test of independence is run on the claim that ice cream sales per month and the number of car wrecks per month are independent. The claim is rejected.
Using number of car wrecks as the x variable and ice cream sales as the y variable, an r value of r=0.923 is then computed and shown to exceed the critical value for this data. The data is double checked and verified. This shows that car wrecks cause ice cream sales.
NOTE: While this specific r-value is made up, this general pattern has been shown in several real world data sets involving ice cream sales and number of car wrecks in major cities on the east coast of the United States.
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It's another example of correlation. It is not an example of causation.
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Linear correlation and the associated r-value are mathematical ideas that
have nothing to do with causation.
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Cheers,
Stan H.
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