IDENTIFYING AND CONTROLLING

VARIABLES
LECTURE NOTES BY
MR. SYLVESTER SAIMON SIMIN
MPKS
 INTRODUCTION
• In scientific inquiries, we investigate to find out what
causes something to happen – to find the effect of one
variable on another.
• We investigate the effect of changing only one of the
variables; we must keep the other variables constant.
In this way, we can tell whether that single variable
has an effect.
• The idea behind identifying and controlling variables
is that we must be sure that what we think caused an
effect did in fact cause it.
• This skill requires children to have the ability to
perceive that there is more than one attribute
(physical & behaviour, interactions) to given objects
(concrete operational stage)

Aug 26, 2009 SYLVESTER SAIMON SIMIN, JSM, MPKS

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 DEFINITION
• VARIABLES:
– FACTORS / CONDITIONS THAT CAN CHANGE OR
BE CHANGED IN AN EVENT OR SYSTEM
– THINGS WITHIN AN INVESTIGATION WHICH CAN
BE CHANGED OR KEPT THE SAME

Aug 26, 2009 SYLVESTER SAIMON SIMIN, JSM, MPKS

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 TYPES OF VARIABLES
• MANIPULATED VARIABLE (INDEPENDENT
VARIABLE / INPUT VARIABLES) – WHAT TO
CHANGE
– FACTOR OR CONDITION THAT IS INTENTIONALLY
CHANGED IN AN EXPERIMENT / INVESTIGATION.
• RESPONDING VARIABLE (DEPENDENT
VARIABLE / OUTCOME VARIABLE) – WHAT
TO MEASURE
– FACTOR OR CONDITION THAT WILL BE
AFFECTED AS A RESULT OF THAT CHANGE (MV)
• CONTROLLED VARIABLE (CONSTANT
VARIABLES) – WHAT TO KEEP THE SAME
– FACTOR OR CONDITION THAT IS DELIBERATELY
Aug 26,NOT
2009 CHANGED (KEPT
SYLVESTER SAIMON THE
SIMIN, JSM,SAME)
MPKS
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 TYPES OF VARIABLES

CONTROLLED VARIABLE
MANIPULATED VARIABLE RESPONDING VARIABLE
(WHAT TO KEEP THE
(WHAT TO CHANGE) (WHAT TO MEASURE)
SAME)
FACTOR OR CONDITION
FACTOR OR CONDITION FACTOR OR CONDITION
THAT IS INTENTIONALLY
THAT IS AFFECTED AS A THAT IS DELIBERATELY
CHANGED IN AN
RESULT OF CHANGING NOT CHANGED (KEPT THE
EXPERIMENT /
THE MANIPULATED SAME) TO MAKE IT A FAIR
INVESTIGATION TO FIND
VARIABLE TEST
OUT WHAT EFFECT IT HAS

Aug 26, 2009 SYLVESTER SAIMON SIMIN, JSM, MPKS

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 COMPLEXITY OF VARIABLE
• EACH TYPE OF VARIABLE NEEDS TO BE OBSERVED
AND MEASURED.
• THE DEGREE OF COMPLEXITY OF THOSE
MEASUREMENTS WILL VARY ACCORDING TO THE
AGE AND EXPERIENCE OF STUDENTS AND
DEMANDS OF THE INVESTIGATION.
• 4 CLASSES OF COMPLEXITY OF VARIABLES:
– CATEGORIC : DESCRIPTIVE EG. COLOUR
– DISCRETE : MEASURED IN WHOLE NUMBERS EG. NUMBER
OF LEGS OF INSECTS
– CONTINUOUS : MEASURED IN RANGE OF NUMBERS
INCLUDING FRACTIONS/DECIMALS EG. TEMPERATURE
– DERIVED : CALCULATED FROM MEASUREMENTS OF
OTHER VARIABLES EG. SPEED

Aug 26, 2009 SYLVESTER SAIMON SIMIN, JSM, MPKS

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 COMPLEXITY OF VARIABLES

CATEGORIC CONTINUOUS
DISCRETE VARIABLE DERIVED VARIABLE
VARIABLE VARIABLE
• SIMPLE • WHOLE NUMBER • NUMERICAL VALUE •CALCULATED FROM
DESCRIPTIVE VALUE – 4 ANYWHERE ALONG OTHER VARIABLES
VARIABLE – BOUNCES A CONTINUUM OF WHICH MUST FIRST
COLOUR • EG: NO. OF LEGS, NUMBERS INC. BE MEASURED
• NO NUMERICAL POPULATION, NO. DECIMALS •POTENTIAL ENERGY
VALUE OF TABLETS • EG: TEMPERATURE, = MASS X HEIGHT X g
• EG: HOT, WARM, • DISCONTINUOUS VOLUME, MASS, •EG: VELOCITY,
COLD, TYPE OF VARIABLE TIME ACCELERATION,
BIRD DENSITY

Aug 26, 2009 SYLVESTER SAIMON SIMIN, JSM, MPKS

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 KEY VARIABLES
INVESTIGATION MANIPULATED RESPONDING CONTROLLED
COLOUR OF BALLS HEIGHT OF • HEIGHT OF DROP
(CATEGORIC) BOUNCE • SIZE OF BALL
(CONTINUOUS) • SURFACE BOUNCED ON
• TYPE OF BALL

COLOUR OF BALLS NUMBER OF • HEIGHT OF DROP

(CATEGORIC) TIMES IT • SIZE OF BALL
BOUNCES • SURFACE BOUNCED ON
AFTER A DROP
• TYPE OF BALL
(DISCRETE)

HEIGHT FROM WHICH HEIGHT OF • COLOUR OF BALL

THE BALL IS THE FIRST • SIZE OF BALL
DROPPED BOUNCE • SURFACE BOUNCED ON
(CONTINUOUS) (CONTINUOUS)
• TYPE OF BALL

HEIGHT OF THE DROP HEIGHT OF • COLOUR OF BALL

INCORPORATED INTO THE FIRST • SIZE OF BALL
mxgxh BOUNCE • SURFACE BOUNCED ON
CALCULATION (CONTINUOUS)
• TYPE OF BALL
(CONTINUOUS /
DERIVED)

Aug 26, 2009 SYLVESTER SAIMON SIMIN, JSM, MPKS

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 SUGGESTED APPROPRIATENESS OF
VARIABLES
LEVEL MANIPULATED RESPONDING
(YEAR/FORM) VARIABLE VARIABLE
INCREASING
PRE-SC NOT REQUIRED NOT REQUIRED COMPLEXITY
Y1
Y2
Y3
Y4 1 1
Y5 1 1
Y6 1 CONTINUOUS 1 CONTINUOUS
F1 2 OR MORE VARIABLES
F2
F3 1, PROBABLY 1, PROBABLY
F4 CONTINUOUS OR CONTINUOUS OR
DERIVED DERIVED
F5

Aug 26, 2009 SYLVESTER SAIMON SIMIN, JSM, MPKS

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 IDENTIFYING VARIABLES:
WHAT ARE THE VARIABLES IN THESE STATEMENTS?

“The time it takes to run a kilometer depend on

the amount of exercise a person get”
Time to run a kilometer
VARIABLE : _______________________

amount of exercise
VARIABLE : _______________________
NOTE:
It would not be correct to name just time
or exercise. We must include how each
variable will be measured or described.

Aug 26, 2009 SYLVESTER SAIMON SIMIN, JSM, MPKS

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 IDENTIFYING VARIABLES:
WHAT ARE THE VARIABLES IN THESE STATEMENTS?

“The higher the temperature of water, the faster

an egg will cook”

Temperature of water
VARIABLE : _______________________

time needed for an egg to cook

VARIABLE : _______________________

Aug 26, 2009 SYLVESTER SAIMON SIMIN, JSM, MPKS

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 IDENTIFYING VARIABLES:
WHAT ARE THE VARIABLES IN THESE STATEMENTS?

“An investigation was done to see if keeping the

light on for different amount of time each day
affected the number of eggs chickens laid”
Hours (or amount) of light
VARIABLE : _______________________

number of eggs
VARIABLE : _______________________

NOTE:
Just light and eggs however, would be incorrect
descriptions of the variables. IT MUST BE
MEASURABLE.
Aug 26, 2009 SYLVESTER SAIMON SIMIN, JSM, MPKS
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 CLASSIFYING VARIABLES : MV, RV, CV
“The amount of pollution produced by cars was
measured for cars using gasoline containing
different amount of lead”

MANIPULATED VARIABLE :
amount of lead in gasoline
_______________________

RESPONDING VARIABLE :
_______________________
amount of pollution

Aug 26, 2009 SYLVESTER SAIMON SIMIN, JSM, MPKS

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 CLASSIFYING VARIABLES : MV, RV, CV
“more bushels of potatoes will produced if the
soil is fertilized more”

MANIPULATED VARIABLE :
amount of fertilizer
_______________________

RESPONDING VARIABLE :
number of bushels of potatoes
_______________________

Aug 26, 2009 SYLVESTER SAIMON SIMIN, JSM, MPKS

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 CLASSIFYING VARIABLES : MV, RV, CV
“Five groups of rats are fed identical diets except for the
amount of Vitamin A that they receive. Each group gets a
different amount. After three weeks on the diet, the rats
are weighed to see if the amount of vitamin A received
has affected their weight.”
MANIPULATED VARIABLE :
Amount of Vitamin A
_______________________

RESPONDING VARIABLE :
Weight of rats
_______________________
NOTE:
Weight of rats may not be affected if
Vitamin A is not essential but the weight
of rats is still the RV.
Aug 26, 2009 SYLVESTER SAIMON SIMIN, JSM, MPKS
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 CLASSIFYING VARIABLES : MV, RV, CV
“A student wanted to test how the mass of a
paper airplane affected the distance it would fly.
Paper clips were added before each test flight.
As each paper clip was added, the plane was
tested to determine how far it would fly”
MANIPULATED VARIABLE :
Number of paper clip added
_______________________
RESPONDING VARIABLE :
Distance flown
_______________________
CONTROLLED VARIABLES :
The same plane was used for each trial
_______________________
Aug 26, 2009 SYLVESTER SAIMON SIMIN, JSM, MPKS
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 THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION AND
COOPERATION

Aug 26, 2009 SYLVESTER SAIMON SIMIN, JSM, MPKS

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