Your family decides to take a long road trip for the summer. You will be riding in the car while it moves at a fairly constant rate for eight hours to reach your destination.
Record your answers to the questions about this road trip below.
1. Which quantity in this situation is the independent variable?
2. Which quantity is the dependent variable?
1. The independent variable in this situation is time, since it is a fixed amount of 8 hours that determines the duration of the road trip.
2. The dependent variable is the distance traveled, since it depends on the duration of the road trip (independent variable) and the constant rate at which the car is moving.
TYSMMM!
1. The independent variable in this situation is the time spent on the road trip. The rate at which the car moves is assumed to be constant, so the time spent is the factor that can be controlled or varied.
2. The dependent variable in this situation is the distance traveled. The distance is dependent on the time spent on the road trip and the constant rate of the car. As the time increases, the distance traveled increases proportionally.
1. The independent variable in this situation is the time, specifically the eight hours it takes to reach the destination. The family has control over when they start the road trip, so they can choose the independent variable.
2. The dependent variable in this situation is the distance traveled. It depends on the time spent traveling, as the car moves at a fairly constant rate. The distance traveled is directly influenced by the independent variable, which is the time spent on the road trip.