What can a negative r value suggest about the relationship between two variables?

A negative r value, which represents the correlation coefficient, signifies that there is an inverse relationship between two variables. This means that as one variable increases, the other variable tends to decrease. This characteristic of a negative correlation shows that the variables move in opposite directions.

For example, in a scenario where you are analyzing the relationship between the amount of time spent studying and the number of mistakes made on a test, a negative r value could indicate that more study time is associated with fewer mistakes; thus, more of one leads to less of the other.

The other options reflect different types of correlations or relationships that do not align with the implication of a negative r value. Therefore, the correct interpretation of a negative correlation is that it indicates an inverse relationship between the two variables.