What indicates a positive correlation in a scatter plot?

A positive correlation in a scatter plot is characterized by data points that trend upward as you move from left to right. This means that as the value of one variable increases, the value of the other variable also tends to increase. When viewing a scatter plot, if you observe a clear upward slope in the arrangement of the data points, it signifies that there is a positive relationship between the two variables being analyzed.

In contrast, data points that trend downward indicate a negative correlation, where one variable increases while the other decreases. Randomly distributed data points suggest no correlation, as there is no discernible pattern or relationship between the variables. Finally, although closely packed data points can indicate a strong relationship, they do not specifically imply whether that relationship is positive or negative without considering the direction of the trend. The key aspect of a positive correlation is the upward trend in the scatter plot.