What is an independent and an dependent variable!!?

Question

in Sci class we did an experiment with gum where we weighed it then chewed it then weighed it again.... and would be the independent and an dependent variable

Answer 1

Normally, the dependent and independent variables are the variables in an equation, and I don't see enough information in your question to form a mathematical expression.

I suppose you could express the final weight as a function of the initial weight and the effort (measured as time) spent chewing.

wf = f(wi,t)

The final weight (wf) would be the dependent variable, and the time (t) and initial weight (wi) would be independent variables.

Alternately, you could think of the change in weight as a function of time:

w = f(t)

The change in weight (w) would be the dependent variable, and the time (t) would be the independent variable.

I re-read your question and think that the answer you are looking for might be:

Gum could be the independent variable.

Change in weight (from chewing) could be the dependent variable.

W = f(G)

Answer 2

independent variable is what u change in order to do an experiment and the dependent variable is what changes when the independent variable changes, in other words, the outcome of the independent variable

So, for example, if you were measuring the growth rate of plants under full sunlight for 8 hours a day versus plants that only have 4 hours of full sunlight per day, the amount of time per day of full sunlight would be the independent variable - the variable that you control.  The growth rate of the plants would be a dependent variable.

Answer 3

independent= one you change; chewing

dependent= you measure; weight

Answer 4

Think of it as cause and effect.  Independent is cause, dependent is effect.  Does chewing the gum change its weight or does changing its weight cause chewing?

chewing = independent

weight = dependent