What is dependent variable in math considered as one of the important questions asked by many students. The importance of this question makes it necessary for students to understand it. Various websites have answered this question but you didn’t find the exact information you are looking for and that’s why you landed on this page.
So, if you are looking for the exact answer to what is dependent variable in math? Here you will get the genuine information because I have detailed not only dependent variables but also provide useful and real-life examples for better understanding.
But before proceeding to details, let’s understand what is variable. A variable is a term or alphabet used to represent the unknown value, number, or quality. Moreover, the variable is one of the quantities which show variation as per the performed mathematical operation.
Now, let’s move to the details of what is dependent variable in math.
What is dependent variable in math?
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The dependent variables are the types of variables that are being tested in the particular experiment. Or we can say that the dependent variable always depends on the independent variables.
Apart from this, when the value of the experimental variable changes, then the value of the dependent variable also changes. Whenever you take the experimental data, the dependent variable is the thing that needs to be measured.
What is a dependent variable easy definition?
A dependent variable is one of the types of variables whose values get changed as per the value of other variables, known as the independent variable.
Key Point: In the scientific experiment, keep in mind that you must have a dependent variable. Or we can say that you can not have the value of any dependent variable without the independent variables.
Example of the dependent variable in an algebraic equation:
To understand what is dependent variable in math, let’s take an equation x + 5 = y that has two variables and 3 terms.
Here, x is the independent variable, and y is the dependent variable that depends on both the value of variable x and the constant term 5.
What is an example of a dependent variable in math?
Below, I have listed some of the useful examples of dependent as well as the independent variable. This helps you distinguish between independent and dependent variables. So, let’s check the examples one by one:
Cancer medicine
Various scientists have studied the impact of the particular drug on cancer patients.
| Dependent variable: The impact of the drug or medicine on cancer patients. Independent variable: Different factors of the drug, like the timing or the amount of dose. |
Education and earning
A study is carried out to know whether the level of education impacts the person’s earning in the particular job section.
| Dependent variable: Earning (wages or salary). Independent variable: The education level of a person. |
Rats and affection
The study of the withholding affection’s impact from rats.
| Dependent variable: Rats’ reaction. Independent variable: The affection’s amount. |
Sunlight and the plant growth
The measuring of the direct sunlight impacts the plants’ growth.
| Dependent variable: How much the plant grows. Independent variable: The amount of sunlight that the plant directly receives. |
Time spent on study and academic score
The researchers carried out the relation between the time spent on study and the grade obtained by the student.
| Dependent variable: Score in the subjects. Independent variable: Time spent to study the subjects. |
What are the key points to consider to select a dependent variable?
If you think about how the researchers know what could be the good dependent variable, then here is the answer. Scientists consider two key factors for dependent variables. And these are:
Stability
It is a good symbol to consider quality-dependent variables. Suppose you do the same experiment with similar conditions, participants, and experimental manipulations. Then it considered that the dependent variable would show the same effect as that of the previous one.
Complexity
It is always necessary that the researchers must select the dependent variable that depends on the study’s complexity. Also, some studies need one or more independent and dependent variables.
| Key point: In some conditions, scientists need to check the changes in independent variables w.r.t. to the different dependent variables. |
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Let’s take an example of it:
Suppose, in an experiment, researchers want to know how a messy room can influence the creativity level of the people. Apart from this, another factor is to analyze how a messy room can impact people’s moods.
Here,
| The messy room is the independent variable. |
| Creativity level and mood of the people is the dependent variable. |
How to identify and solve the dependent variable in math?
Once you know what is dependent variable in math, you can easily identify the dependent variable in an equation. One of the best methods to identify the dependent variable is by remembering that it relies on the value of the independent variable.
Whenever the researchers make any change in the independent variable and measure the changes, they find considerable changes in the dependent variables.
So, how can you analyze the dependent variable in an algebraic equation? Let’s find out!!
Suppose you have an equation as : x + 2 + 3x = 2y
| As you can see that x is written at 2 places, which means we can simplify this equation first. |
| To simply, write it as: x + 3x + 2 = 2y => 4x + 2 = 2y |
| Now, you can see that 2 is the common factor in all terms that can be eliminated to simplify the equation further. |
| Finally, the equation will be like: 2x + 1 = y. |
| You can see y is the dependent variable that depends on the value of 2x and 1. On the other hand, x is the independent variable. |
This is how you can identify the dependent and independent variables in an algebraic equation.
How to solve the dependent variable value? Let’s find it out.
| If we put 0 (zero) in x => 2(0) + 1 = y => 1= y or y =1. That means the value is (0, 1) for plotting the independent and dependent graph. If we put 1 in x => 2(1) + 1 = y => 2 + 1 = y => 3 = y or y = 3. That means the value is (1, 3) for plotting the independent and dependent graph. Similarly, you can get the maximum number of dependent variable (y) values by changing the independent variable x. |
| A brain booster: How to remember the rule for plotting the independent and dependent variables? Remember, the independent variable is plotted on the x-axis and the dependent variable plots on the y-axis. To remember, you can use the DRY-MIX abbreviation, as:  D – Dependent variable,R – Responds to changes made,Y – Y-axis. M – Manipulated variable that you have changed,I – Independent variable,X – X-axis. |
Let’s wrap it up!!!
What is dependent variable in math is a question that might confuse many students. But from this blog, it is clear that dependent variables are the factors that show how the changes occur with respect to independent variables.
In a scientific study, the researchers test and measure the value of the dependent variable. Because of these dependent variables, you can easily calculate the overall effect or change in the observations or experiment.
Still, have any queries? Comment in the below section to get the best and accurate answer to your query. If you want to pay someone to do my math homework then, you can also take our do my math homework for me services to clear your doubts.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How are independent variables and dependent variables different in math?
In simple words, the dependent variables depend on other variables to get their value. On the other hand, independent variables never depend on another variable for its value.
Is pressure a dependent or independent variable?
If you change the value of volume to calculate the pressure, the pressure also gets changed. Therefore we can say that volume is the independent variable whereas pressure is the dependent variable. The reason is that pressure depends on the value of the volume.
What are the roles of independent and dependent variables?
It has been seen that the independent variables express function inputs. In contrast, the dependent variables describe function outcome variables. It is also noticeable that the dependent variable’s value relies on the input value.
