Correlation coefficient

A correlation coefficient is a numerical value that expresses the strength of the linear relationship between two variables, such as the alcohol content of a sake and how sweet it tastes. The value ranges from -1 to 1. The closer it is to 1, the stronger the positive correlation (when one variable increases, the other also increases), and the closer it is to -1, the stronger the negative correlation (when one variable increases, the other decreases). A correlation coefficient close to 0 means there is almost no linear relationship between the variables. This measure is sometimes used in analyzing the taste and flavor of sake.