Using data from several nations, a regression analysis of y = crude birth rate (number of births per 1000 population size) on women’s economic activity (female labor force as a percentage of the male labor force) yielded the equation ŷ = 36.3 - 0.30x and a correlation of -0.55.
a. Describe the effect by comparing the predicted birth rate for countries with x = 0 and countries with x = 100.
b. Suppose that the correlation between the crude birth rate and the nation’s GNP equals -0.35. Which variable, GNP or women’s economic activity, seems to have the stronger association with birth rate? Explain.