A small apple orchard hires fruit pickers to harvest their crop. The number of apples harvested each day depends on the number of fruit pickers hired.

Question

f = the number of fruit pickers hired
a = the number of apples harvested each day

Which of the variables is independent and which is dependent?

Answer 1

In this scenario, the number of fruit pickers hired (f) is the independent variable as it is the factor that is being changed or controlled by the orchard. The number of apples harvested each day (a) is the dependent variable as it depends on the number of fruit pickers hired.