A bakery makes bread in batches. Several loaves per batch are rejected due to defects. Your friend says that the total number of defective loaves is the independent variable. Explain and correct the error.
An independent variable is the potential stimulus or cause, usually directly manipulated by the experimenter, so it could also be called a manipulative variable.
A dependent variable is the response or measure of results.
That should help you.
a bakery makes bread in batches. several loaves per batch are rejected for sale due to defects
The independent variable represents the factor that is being manipulated or changed in an experiment or study. In this case, your friend suggests that the total number of defective loaves is the independent variable.
However, it is important to note that the number of defective loaves is not something that can be intentionally manipulated or changed. It is an outcome or dependent variable that is a result of the batch production process. The independent variable in this scenario could be something like the temperature at which the bread is baked, the type of flour used, or the duration of the fermentation process. These are factors that can be controlled or adjusted by the bakery to potentially reduce the number of defective loaves.
To correct the error, you would need to identify and define the true independent variable, which is a controllable factor that can potentially affect the number of defective loaves produced in each batch.