Practice Causation in Math

Use these practice problems to test your method after reviewing the concept explanation and worked examples.

Quick Recap

Causation exists when one variable directly produces or influences a change in another variable — distinct from mere correlation or association.

X causes Y means changing X will change Y. Not just 'they move together.'

Example 1

medium
Ice cream sales and drowning deaths are positively correlated. Explain why correlation does not imply causation here, identifying the confounding variable.

Example 2

hard
A study finds students who eat breakfast score higher on tests. Design an argument for why this might not be causal, and describe how you would establish causation.

Example 3

easy
Countries with more TV sets per capita have higher life expectancy. Does this mean buying TVs causes longer lives? Identify the likely confounding variable.

Example 4

hard
A pharmaceutical company's observational study finds Drug X correlates with recovery. Explain three criteria needed to claim Drug X causes recovery, and why a randomized trial is required.
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