S3 Correlation Exam Questions

[June 2010 Q4] 1. A researcher claims that, at a river bend, the water gradually gets deeper as the
distance from the inner bank increases. He measures the distance from the inner bank, b cm,
and the depth of a river, s cm, at seven positions. The results are shown in the table below.

Position A B C D E F G
Distance from
100 200 300 400 500 600 700
inner bank b cm
Depth s cm 60 75 85 76 110 120 104

(a) Calculate Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient between b and s.

(6)
(b) Stating your hypotheses clearly, test whether or not the data provides support for the
researcher’s claim. Use a 1% level of significance.
(4)

[June 2009 Q3] 2. A doctor is interested in the relationship between a person’s Body Mass Index
(BMI) and their level of fitness. She believes that a lower BMI leads to a greater level of
fitness. She randomly selects 10 female 18 year-olds and calculates each individual’s BMI.
The females then run a race and the doctor records their finishing positions. The results are
shown in the table.

Individual A B C D E F G H I J

BMI 17.4 21.4 18.9 24.4 19.4 20.1 22.6 18.4 25.8 28.1
Finishing
3 5 1 9 6 4 10 2 7 8
position

(a) Calculate Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient for these data.

(5)
(b) Stating your hypotheses clearly and using a one tailed test with a 5% level of
significance, interpret your rank correlation coefficient.
(5)
(c) Give a reason to support the use of the rank correlation coefficient rather than the
product moment correlation coefficient with these data.
(1)

[June 2008 Q3] 3. The product moment correlation coefficient is denoted by r and Spearman’s
rank correlation coefficient is denoted by rs.

(a) Sketch separate scatter diagrams, with five points on each diagram, to show

(i) r = 1,

(ii) rs = –1 but r > –1.

(3)

Two judges rank seven collie dogs in a competition. The collie dogs are labelled A to G and
the rankings are as follows.
 S3 Correlation Exam Questions
[June 2010 Q4] 1. A researcher claims that, at a river bend, the water gradually gets deeper as the
distance from the inner bank increases. He measures the distance from the inner bank, b cm,
and the depth of a river, s cm, at seven positions. The results are shown in the table below.

Position A B C D E F G
Distance from
100 200 300 400 500 600 700
inner bank b cm
Depth s cm 60 75 85 76 110 120 104

(a) Calculate Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient between b and s.

(6)
(b) Stating your hypotheses clearly, test whether or not the data provides support for the
researcher’s claim. Use a 1% level of significance.
(4)

[June 2009 Q3] 2. A doctor is interested in the relationship between a person’s Body Mass Index
(BMI) and their level of fitness. She believes that a lower BMI leads to a greater level of
fitness. She randomly selects 10 female 18 year-olds and calculates each individual’s BMI.
The females then run a race and the doctor records their finishing positions. The results are
shown in the table.

Individual A B C D E F G H I J

BMI 17.4 21.4 18.9 24.4 19.4 20.1 22.6 18.4 25.8 28.1
Finishing
3 5 1 9 6 4 10 2 7 8
position

(a) Calculate Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient for these data.

(5)
(b) Stating your hypotheses clearly and using a one tailed test with a 5% level of
significance, interpret your rank correlation coefficient.
(5)
(c) Give a reason to support the use of the rank correlation coefficient rather than the
product moment correlation coefficient with these data.
(1)

[June 2008 Q3] 3. The product moment correlation coefficient is denoted by r and Spearman’s
rank correlation coefficient is denoted by rs.

(a) Sketch separate scatter diagrams, with five points on each diagram, to show

(i) r = 1,

(ii) rs = –1 but r > –1.

(3)

Two judges rank seven collie dogs in a competition. The collie dogs are labelled A to G and
the rankings are as follows.
 Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Judge 1 A C D B E F G
Judge 2 A B D C E G F

(b) (i) Calculate Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient for these data.
(6)
(ii) Stating your hypotheses clearly, test, at the 5% level of significance, whether or not
the judges are generally in agreement.
(5)

[June 2007 Q1] 4. During a village show, two judges, P and Q, had to award a mark out of 30 to
some flower displays. The marks they awarded to a random sample of 8 displays were as
follows:

Display A B C D E F G H
Judge P 25 19 21 23 28 17 16 20
Judge Q 20 9 21 13 17 14 11 15

(a) Calculate Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient for the marks awarded by the two
judges.
(6)

After the show, one competitor complained about the judges. She claimed that there was no
positive correlation between their marks.

(b) Stating your hypotheses clearly, test whether or not this sample provides support for the
competitor’s claim. Use a 5% level of significance.
(4)
[Jan 2006 Q7] 5. The numbers of deaths from pneumoconiosis and lung cancer in a developing
country are given in the table.

70 and
Age group (years) 20–29 30–39 40–49 50–59 60–69
over
Deaths from
pneumoconiosis 12.5 5.9 18.5 19.4 31.2 31.0
(1000s)
Deaths from lung
3.7 9.0 10.2 19.0 13.0 18.0
cancer (1000s)

The correlation between the number of deaths in the different age groups for each disease is
to be investigated.

(a) Give one reason why Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient should be used. (1)
(b) Calculate Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient for these data. (6)
(c) Use a suitable test, at the 5% significance level, to interpret your result. State your
hypotheses clearly. (5)
 Rank 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Judge 1 A C D B E F G
Judge 2 A B D C E G F

(b) (i) Calculate Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient for these data.
(6)
(ii) Stating your hypotheses clearly, test, at the 5% level of significance, whether or not
the judges are generally in agreement.
(5)

[June 2007 Q1] 4. During a village show, two judges, P and Q, had to award a mark out of 30 to
some flower displays. The marks they awarded to a random sample of 8 displays were as
follows:

Display A B C D E F G H
Judge P 25 19 21 23 28 17 16 20
Judge Q 20 9 21 13 17 14 11 15

(a) Calculate Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient for the marks awarded by the two
judges.
(6)

After the show, one competitor complained about the judges. She claimed that there was no
positive correlation between their marks.

(b) Stating your hypotheses clearly, test whether or not this sample provides support for the
competitor’s claim. Use a 5% level of significance.
(4)
[Jan 2006 Q7] 5. The numbers of deaths from pneumoconiosis and lung cancer in a developing
country are given in the table.

70 and
Age group (years) 20–29 30–39 40–49 50–59 60–69
over
Deaths from
pneumoconiosis 12.5 5.9 18.5 19.4 31.2 31.0
(1000s)
Deaths from lung
3.7 9.0 10.2 19.0 13.0 18.0
cancer (1000s)

The correlation between the number of deaths in the different age groups for each disease is
to be investigated.

(a) Give one reason why Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient should be used. (1)
(b) Calculate Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient for these data. (6)
(c) Use a suitable test, at the 5% significance level, to interpret your result. State your
hypotheses clearly. (5)