Direction
Definition
Direction refers to the positive or negative trend of a relationship between two variables. It indicates whether an increase in one variable is associated with an increase or decrease in the other variable.
Analogy
Think of direction as driving on a road. If you're going in the same direction as traffic, it means both variables are increasing or decreasing together. If you're going in the opposite direction, it means one variable is increasing while the other is decreasing.
Related terms
Positive Relationship: A positive relationship occurs when both variables increase together. For example, as study time increases, test scores also increase.
Negative Relationship: A negative relationship occurs when one variable increases while the other decreases. For instance, as temperature increases, ice cream sales decrease.
No Relationship: When there is no relationship between two variables, changes in one do not affect the other. An example would be shoe size and IQ score.
"Direction" appears in:
Subjects (1)
Additional resources (1)
Resources
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.