A scatter plot of study hours versus test scores shows a positive trend. What does this indicate?

• A. More study hours tend to be associated with higher scores.
• B. More study hours are associated with lower scores.
• C. There is no relationship between study hours and scores.
• D. Scores determine how many hours you study.

Answer: (A)

A positive trend on a scatter plot means that as one variable increases, the other tends to increase as well. Here, as study hours go up, test scores tend to go up, so more study hours are associated with higher scores. This shows a positive correlation between study time and performance. It’s important to remember that this shows association, not causation—other factors could influence both study time and scores. While the overall pattern points upward, individual data points may not follow the trend perfectly, and there can be exceptions.