Question

Which relationship most likely reflects both correlation and causation? Responses As coffee sales increase, the number of pastries sold increases. As coffee sales increase, the number of pastries sold increases. As the number of shoes sold increases, the number of hats sold increases. As the number of shoes sold increases, the number of hats sold increases. The more pizzas I make, the more cheese I will use. The more pizzas I make, the more cheese I will use. As the number of sunglasses sold increases, the number of beach umbrellas sold also increases.

Answer 1

The relationship that most likely reflects both correlation and causation is:

The more pizzas I make, the more cheese I will use.

This scenario illustrates a direct cause-and-effect relationship: making more pizzas inherently requires more cheese. The other relationships mentioned may have a correlation, but they do not necessarily imply that one causes the other. For example, an increase in coffee sales might not directly cause an increase in pastries sold; they could simply be influenced by a third factor such as time of day or a promotion. Similarly, while an increase in shoes sold might correlate with hats sold, the two are not necessarily causally linked.