Identifying Variables
Mrs. Hiba Kaadan
Science experiments use…
Independent variables – the one factor
changed by the person doing the
experiment.
Dependent variables – the factor being
measured in an experiment.
Constants – all the factors that stay the
same in an experiment.
In a table, or graph, the
variables (usually x and y) can
be classified as either
__________ or _________.
independent dependent
Independent Variable
• The independent variable is always located on the
x-axis
_________ of a graph.
FIRST
• The independent variable is what happens _______.
• The independent variable affects the value of
the dependent variable.
• It is what we are changing or manipulating.
Dependent Variable
• The dependent variable is always located on the
y-axis
_________ of a graph.
• The dependent variable DEPENDS on the
independent variable
________________.
2nd
• The dependent variable is what happens _______.
• The dependent variable is what we are testing,
measuring, or observing.
Let’s Practice!
1. A student’s grade depends on how
much she studies.
Independent variable:__________
Time studying
Dependent variable:___________
grade
2. The height of a plant and the amount
you water it.
Independent variable: ___________
Amount watered
Dependent variable: _____________
height
3. The amount of money you make and the number of
hours you work.
Hours worked
Independent variable: _____________
Amount of money
Dependent variable:_____________
4. The number of sodas you buy and the total money
spent.
Independent variable:______________
Number of sodas
Total money
Dependent variable:_______________
5. The number of houses you can paint depends on
how much time you have.
Independent variable:______________
Amount of time
Dependent variable:_______________
Number of houses
Example
Kadence collected data on the number of push-ups she
could do in a certain time. The table below shows her
data.
Time (seconds) 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 110 120
Total # Push-ups 0 4 7 9 12 17 20 22 24 27 30 31 35
a. What is the independent variable? Time, since we are
changing it.
Total # Push-ups since
b. What is the dependent variable?
we are measuring it.
Controlled Variable or Factor
Controlled Variable – a variable that is
not changed, also called constant
Example
Students of different ages were given the same jigsaw
puzzle to put together. They were timed to see how
long it took to finish the puzzle.
• Independent variable: Ages of students (since we
were changing it).
• Dependent variable: the time to put the puzzle
together (since we are measuring it).
• Controlled variable: same puzzle
