Types of variables

Variables
An experiment generally has three types:
independent, dependent and controlled.
When choosing your variables, keep in mind that
good variables are usually those that you can
measure with a number (e.g., concentrations of
pollutants, time of day, temperature) or observe
objectively (e.g., colors).

Subjective qualities, like whether noise pollution

makes local birds happy or sad, are not
appropriate variable
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In statistics, the most often used word is ‘variable’

variable which refers to a
characteristic that contains the value,
value which may vary from one entity to
another.
The two most common types of variable are the dependent variable and
independent variable. A variable is said to be independent, whose change
influence another variable, while if the variable is dependent, it will change in
response to the change in some other variable.
Independent Variable -1
This is the part of your experiment that you will test
(vary) to answer your hypothesis. In the example
above, the independent variable would be the
different colors of the light bulbs.

The independent variable is the one that you, as the

scientist, change or manipulate. Your experiment
should have only one independent variable.
Dependent Variable -2
This is what occurs in response to the changing
independent variable.
 ‫‪former‬‬ ‫‪resulting‬‬

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Controlled variables
(Constants)
The controlled variables are those that you try to
keep constant throughout your experiment.

 These are all variables that might affect your

dependent variable. If you were measuring the
concentrations of pesticides in water on different
days, you would want to make sure that things
like the weather and outside temperature remain
relatively constant. You should keep track of your
controlled variables as carefully as your other
variables.
Quiz
Remember that
it is important to try to keep your controlled variables
as constant as possible.
For instance, if you measured the noise pollution at two
different traffic intersections in your city (independent
variable = location;
dependent variable = noise pollution)
but made your measurements at different times of day,
you wouldn’t be able to tell if changes in the amount of
noise pollution were due to the different location or the
different time of day. Most experiments will have more
than one controlled variable.
Control -3

The control should be the part of the experiment

where you do not include the Independent Variable.
In our example, grass seed that is growing under the
white (uncolored) bulb would be your control. The
control lets you compare your results in the
experiment