Covariance quantifies the direction and strength of the linear relationship between two quantitative variables. A positive covariance indicates that as one variable increases, the other tends to increase as well, while a negative covariance suggests opposite movement.
Mathematically, covariance is calculated by averaging the product of each pairβs deviations from their respective means. Because it depends on the units of the original variables, its magnitude alone is not easy to interpret without context.
When the covariance is divided by the product of the standard deviations of the two variables, the result is the Pearson correlation coefficient, a unitβless measure that ranges from β1 toβ―1.
How do I calculate covariance?
What does a positive covariance mean?
Can covariance be negative?
Is covariance affected by units of measurement?
What is the difference between correlation and covariance?
When should I use covariance in my analysis?
Can covariance be used for non-linear relationships?
Results are for informational purposes only and do not constitute professional advice.
