Alan and Riley are preparing meals to serve at a local homeless shelter. The number of people they will be able to serve depends on the number of meals they prepare.

Question

Alan and Riley are preparing meals to serve at a local homeless shelter. The number of people they will be able to serve depends on the number of meals they prepare.

p = the number of people Alan and Riley will be able to serve
m = the number of meals Alan and Riley prepare

Which of the variables is independent and which is dependent?

Answer 1

In this scenario, the number of meals (m) that Alan and Riley prepare is the independent variable, as it is under their control and determines the number of people they will be able to serve (p), which is the dependent variable.