Jillian walked 0.5 miles before she started jogging at an average pace of 5 miles per hour. The equation d = 0.5 + 5t can be used to relate the total distance, d, in miles to the time, t, that Jillian spent jogging. What are the independent and dependent variables?

Answer 1

In the given equation \( d = 0.5 + 5t \), the variables can be identified as follows:

- **Independent Variable**: The independent variable is the variable that you can control or choose freely, and it is typically the input in a function. In this context, \( t \) (the time Jillian spent jogging) is the independent variable.

- **Dependent Variable**: The dependent variable is the variable that depends on the independent variable and it is typically the output in a function. In this case, \( d \) (the total distance Jillian has traveled) is the dependent variable because it depends on the time \( t \) spent jogging.

So, the independent variable is \( t \) (time spent jogging), and the dependent variable is \( d \) (total distance traveled).