The correlation coefficient r measures the direction and strength of a linear relationship between two quantitative variables. In the scatterplot, the points are widely dispersed, so the relationship is weak rather than strong. The fitted trend line slopes slightly downward, indicating a negative association: as golf handicap increases, math SAT score tends to decrease slightly. Because the pattern is weak and negative, r should be close to 0 but less than 0. The best match is −0.10. Option A, −0.63, would represent a moderately strong negative linear relationship, which would require the points to cluster more tightly around a downward-sloping line. Option C, 0.10, has the right weak magnitude but the wrong direction because it is positive. Option D, 0.63, is both too strong and positive. The visual evidence supports only a very slight negative linear association. References/topics from the Study Guide: scatterplots, correlation coefficient, positive and negative association, strength of linear relationship.

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