a factor that can be varied or manipulated in an experiment :) - Ashleigh
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Any variable can be declared as the independent variable, then the other would be the dependent variable. However, it is quite common to arbitrarily define y as the dependent variable - a variable that depends on x.
An equation can often be re-written so that the subject of the equation is changed. This makes it nonsense to define either variable as independent.
I define an variable by saying x- an value
Take the expression y = f(x) where f is a function relating y in terms of x. x is the input - the independant variable. y is the output - the dependant variable because it's value depends on x.
State what the variable represents in the equation.