Question

The following pairs of variables are all strongly correlated (positively or negatively, as indicated), but for only some of them is there a cause-and-effect relationship between the variables. Which of the pairs has a cause-and-effect relationship?

A. The heights of women's hemlines and the Dow-Jones Industrial Average (+)
B. Among US adult males, weight and the frequency of heart attacks (+)
C. Home heating bills and the price of take-out food (+)
D. The weight of an automobile and its gas mileage (-)
E. In US cities in one year, number of sunny days and per capita income

Answer 1

That last one was (-)

Answer 2

@amistre64

Answer 3

@phi @Hero @waterineyes

Answer 4

it cannot be C, there are lurking variables, it is also not e, due to the same reason, and also A. The most that is causation is B.

Answer 5

choice D may be considered a cause and effect: heavy car means poorer gas mileage (it takes more gas to move a heavy car than a light car over the same distance)