If two attributes X and Y show a positive correlation, what does that imply for their relationship?

• A. No relation
• B. X causes Y
• C. As X increases, Y tends to increase
• D. As X increases, Y tends to decrease

Answer: (C)

A positive correlation means the two attributes tend to move in the same direction: as X increases, Y tends to increase as well. This describes an association where higher values of X are often paired with higher values of Y, though it doesn’t prove that X causes Y. It’s about co-movement, not causation. The other options don’t fit: no relation ignores the observed tendency to rise together; claiming X causes Y asserts causation, which correlation alone doesn’t establish; and a decrease in Y as X increases describes a negative relationship, not a positive one.