Which term denotes a variable (often denoted by x) whose variation does not depend on that of another?

Which term denotes a variable (often denoted by x) whose variation does not depend on that of another?

• A. Independent variable
• B. Dependent variable
• C. Axis labels
• D. Y-axis

Answer: (A)

Understanding how variables relate in experiments helps you identify which one you control. The variable whose variation you change on purpose and that isn’t driven by other variables is the independent variable. You set its values and observe what happens to other quantities as a result. In contrast, the dependent variable is the outcome you measure, and it changes in response to how you vary the independent variable. For example, if you adjust the amount of fertilizer you apply, that fertilizer amount is the independent variable, and the plant height you record is the dependent variable—the height depends on how much fertilizer you used. Axis labels and which axis is which are just ways to present the data; they don’t define the dependency between variables. So the term that denotes a variable whose variation does not depend on another is the independent variable.

Understanding how variables relate in experiments helps you identify which one you control. The variable whose variation you change on purpose and that isn’t driven by other variables is the independent variable. You set its values and observe what happens to other quantities as a result.

In contrast, the dependent variable is the outcome you measure, and it changes in response to how you vary the independent variable. For example, if you adjust the amount of fertilizer you apply, that fertilizer amount is the independent variable, and the plant height you record is the dependent variable—the height depends on how much fertilizer you used.

Axis labels and which axis is which are just ways to present the data; they don’t define the dependency between variables. So the term that denotes a variable whose variation does not depend on another is the independent variable.