For a Random Sample of 30 Countries, the Linear Correlation

question 14

Essay

For a random sample of 30 countries, the linear correlation coefficient between the infant mortality rate and theaverage number of cars per capita was found to be r = -0.717. What does this imply? Does this suggest that ifpeople buy more cars, this could lower the infant mortality rate? Why or why not? What is a likely lurkingvariable?

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Definitions:

Earth Flow

A type of mass wasting event where soil and regolith move slowly downslope, often triggered by saturation from rainfall or melting snow.

Creep

The slow, continuous movement of material, such as soil and other weak materials, down a slope.

Prehistoric Slope Failures

Landslides and similar geologic occurrences that took place before recorded history, often detected through sediment analysis.

Hummocky Topography

A type of chaotic landscape characterized by randomly distributed humps and pits, commonly created by a landslide or less commonly by a pyroclastic eruption.