Practice Correlation vs Causation in Statistics

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

Quick Recap

Correlation shows two variables move together; causation means one actually makes the other change. Correlation doesn't prove causation.

Ice cream sales and drowning deaths both increase in summer. Are ice creams deadly? No! A third factor (hot weather) causes both. This is why 'correlation \neq causation' - just because things happen together doesn't mean one causes the other.

Example 1

easy
A study finds that towns with more ice-cream shops tend to have higher crime rates. Does this mean ice-cream shops cause crime? Explain.

Example 2

medium
A newspaper headline reads: 'Students who sleep more get higher grades — sleeping longer causes better academic performance!' Critically evaluate this claim.

Example 3

medium
Data shows that countries with higher chocolate consumption per capita have more Nobel Prize winners. A blogger writes: 'Eating chocolate makes you smarter!' Give two reasons why this conclusion is flawed.

Example 4

hard
A pharmaceutical company observes that patients who take their new supplement have lower rates of heart disease compared to those who don't. The company wants to claim the supplement prevents heart disease. What type of study would provide the strongest evidence, and what conditions must it satisfy?
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