How To Tell Independent And Dependent Variables. Independent variable in science can be used to determine the different types of species differences between skin pigmentation deciding nutrient contents etc. You want to compare brands of paper towels to see which holds the most liquid. This makes it easy for you to quickly see which variable is independent and which is dependent when looking at a graph or chart. The simplest answer is that independent variable causes dependent variables to become affected change.
In a study to determine whether how long a student sleeps affects test scores the independent variable is the length of time spent sleeping while the dependent variable is the test score. The dependent variable goes on the y-axis or vertical axis. The independent variable is the one the experimenter controls. The best way to understand the difference between a dependent and independent variable is that the meaning of each is implied by what the words tell us about the variable you are using. This makes it easy for you to quickly see which variable is independent and which is dependent when looking at a graph or chart. Is the variable that changes as a result of the independent variable.
A dependent variable is the condition or factor a scientist measures in order to study the effects of the changes made to the independent variable.
To identify Independent research variables look for items in your research question or hypothesis that manipulates causes or influences something or a reaction. You want to compare brands of paper towels to see which holds the most liquid. The two variables may be related by cause and effect. Identify the independent and dependent variables. The independent variable is the cause. Additionally which is the dependent variable.