I am having trouble with independent and dependent variables. Here is a problem from my home work.
Krusty Krabs Breath Mints:
mr. K created a secret ingredient for a breath mint that he thinks will cure bad breath people get from eating his crabby patties. he asked a 100 customers with a history of bad breath to try his new mint. He had 50 customers (group A) eat a breath mint after finishing a crabby patty. The other 50 (group B) also received a mint but it was just a regular mint that did not have the secret ingredient. Both groupd were told they were getting the breath mint that would cure their bad breath. Two hours after eating crabby patties, 30 customers in group A and 10 customers in Group B reported having better breath than normal.
1. Which people are the control Group? I think it is A.
2. What is the independent variable?
I think it is eating a crabby patty
3. What is the dependent variable?
I think it is having a breath mint.
4. What should Mr. Krab's comclusion be?
Have a breath mint after every patty
6. Why do you think 10 people in group B reported fresher breath?
That the breath mint really worked
Am I on the right track?
Thanks
1. Which people are the control Group? I think it is A.
2. What is the independent variable?
I think it is eating a crabby patty
I would think the taking/not taking the breath mint is the indep variable
3. What is the dependent variable?
I think it is having a breath mint.
Isnt the dependent variable bad/good breath?
4. What should Mr. Krab's comclusion be?
Have a breath mint after every patty
6. Why do you think 10 people in group B reported fresher breath?
That the breath mint really worked or it works for some people, or the measurement of good breath is subjective and non-precise
Let's go through these questions one by one:
1. Which people are the control Group?
The control group is the group that does not receive the treatment or intervention being tested. In this case, the control group is Group B, as they received a regular mint without the secret ingredient. So you are correct in stating that Group A is not the control group.
2. What is the independent variable?
The independent variable is the variable that is deliberately manipulated or changed by the researcher. In this experiment, the independent variable is whether the participants eat a breath mint after finishing a crabby patty or not. So, you are not entirely correct in stating that eating a crabby patty is the independent variable. It is actually whether they take the breath mint or not.
3. What is the dependent variable?
The dependent variable is the variable that is measured or observed to determine the effect of the independent variable. In this experiment, the dependent variable is the improvement in breath quality reported by the participants. So, you are not entirely correct in stating that having a breath mint is the dependent variable. It is actually the change in breath quality.
4. What should Mr. Krab's conclusion be?
Based on the results of this experiment, where 30 customers in Group A and 10 customers in Group B reported having better breath than normal after consuming the breath mints, Mr. Krab's conclusion could be that the breath mint, specifically the one with the secret ingredient, may have some positive effect on improving breath quality in people who eat crabby patties.
6. Why do you think 10 people in group B reported fresher breath?
There could be several reasons why 10 people in Group B reported fresher breath. It is possible that the regular mint, even without the secret ingredient, had some temporary freshening effect on their breath. Additionally, the measurement of "fresher breath" may be subjective, and individuals in Group B may have had different perceptions or criteria for what they consider to be fresher breath. It is also possible that there could have been some measurement error or variation in the reporting of breath quality among the participants. Therefore, it is important to consider these potential factors when interpreting the results.