Independent vs. Dependent Variables

What is the difference?

Dependent Variable What you are measuring.

Helicopter Lab: Measure the time it takes for the rotor to land.

Independent Variable What you are testing or what you are in

control of and can manipulate.

Helicopter lab: The Rotors that we cut and choose their lengths.

How does the independent variable affect the dependent variable?

Way to look at this:

How does x affect y? Independent variable is plotted on x-axis. Dependent variable is plotted on y-axis.

The Y-axis always depends on the X-axis.

Y and X axis

Y Axis= Dependent

X axis= Independent