Your hypothesis contains 2 types of variables. A variable is something that can vary or change. The independent variable is the one that is changed on purpose and the dependent variable is the one that changes when you change the independent variable. It depends on the independent variable. Consider this question:
Does fertilizer make a plant grow bigger?
What do you think is the dependent variable?
The dependent variable in this question would be the size or growth of the plant. It is the variable that is expected to change as a result of changing the independent variable (fertilizer).
To determine the dependent variable in the question "Does fertilizer make a plant grow bigger?", we need to consider what is being measured or observed in response to changing the independent variable. In this case, the independent variable is the fertilizer.
The dependent variable, on the other hand, is what we are interested in measuring or observing and is expected to respond to changes in the independent variable. In this scenario, it is the size or growth of the plant.
To confirm this, we can rephrase the question in a cause-and-effect format:
"If the type of fertilizer used is changed, does it affect the size or growth of the plant?"
By analyzing this rephrased question, we can determine that the dependent variable is the size or growth of the plant, as it is expected to change (increase or decrease) in response to the independent variable (type of fertilizer).
So, in summary, the dependent variable in the question is the size or growth of the plant.