Actually English works.
The independent variable is the one you measure or otherwise have as input.
The dependent variable is the one you calculate based on the values of the independent variables.
For example if plant growth. g, depends on sunlight, L, and Nitrogen, N, then we might say something like:
g = k L + c N^2
where k and c are constants to be determined based on our experiments.
Clearly we are saying that g (the dependent variable), depends on L and N.
hi everyone, I am trying to help my daughter with this science portfolio but I am an English major, science is not my bag. So with that being said, my question to you is how do I define what my dependent and independent variable is on an observation experiment regarding the springfield pond and the park they decide to build around it? I get all the questions that's easy, I just don't understand what to do with the step by step variable crap. Ugh help! I'm feeling so dumb right now and want to help my daughter. Thanks in advance for whatever help comes my way.
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omg you lost me. So let me see if I got this. In regards to the assignment I am observing a pond and the biodiversity of the fish living in the pond. I believe they were trout and catfish. Now over a period of a year I have observed these fish once a month and recorded that the population of each fish is changing. While one is decreasing the other is increasing. So a step by step experiment monitoring the parks impact on the population of the fish with a dependent and independent variable is where I am lost. Am I just to make it up or is there an actual guide I am to follow. Did that make sense what I am asking?
whatever you are observing (and measureing) is the independent variable.
fish populations are the dependent variable.
fish populations are the dependent variable.
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