A scatterplot is produced to compare the size of a lake to the number of fish that are in it. There are 15 data points, each representing a different lake. The points are widely dispersed on the scatterplot with no pattern of grouping. Interpret what the results of the scatterplot tell you about the relationship between the two variables.

1 answer

The widely dispersed data points on the scatterplot, with no apparent pattern or grouping, suggest that there is no significant correlation between the size of a lake and the number of fish it contains. This means that changes in the size of the lake do not consistently relate to changes in the fish population.

In other words, larger lakes do not necessarily have more fish, and smaller lakes are not definitively void of fish. The scatterplot indicates that other factors—such as water quality, food availability, fishing regulations, or ecological conditions—might play a more significant role in determining fish populations than simply the size of the lake.

Overall, the results suggest that size alone is not a reliable predictor of fish abundance in the lakes examined.