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LEARNING ACTIVITY SHEET # 1.5
LESSON V: GUIDELINES IN CITING RESOURCES
I learned that
I realized that
Concept Notes
A. Variable
A variable is any quantity that you are able to measure in some way. This could be temperature,
height, age, etc. Basically, a variable is anything that contributes to the outcome or result of
your experiment in any way.
In an experiment there are multiple kinds of variables: independent, dependent and controlled
variables.
B. Types of Variables
1. Independent variable is the variable the experimenter manipulates. Basically, it is the
component you choose to change in an experiment. This variable is not dependent on any
other variables.
2. Dependent variable is the condition that you measure in an experiment. You are assessing
how it responds to a change in the independent variable, so you can think of it as depending
on the independent variable. Sometimes the dependent variable is called the "responding
variable."
3. Controlled variable is one which the scientist holds constant (controls) during an experiment.
Thus we also know the controlled variable as a constant variable or sometimes as a “control”
only.
For example
You are studying the impact of a new medication on the blood pressure of
male patients with hypertension (chronic high blood pressure). To test whether the
medication is effective, you divide your patients into two groups. One group takes the
medication, while the other group takes a sugar pill placebo.
Your independent variable is the treatment that you vary between groups: which type
of pill the patient receives.
Your dependent variable is the outcome that you measure: the blood pressure of the
patients