Variables Practice

Match the following terms to the definition.

• any factor in an experiment

• Variable

• the factor that is changed

• Independent variable

• the factor that is measured or observed

• Dependent variable

Ms. Phan wants to heat up leftover pizza and wonders what heat source will make her pizza the crispiest.

What is the independent variable in her experiment?

• The heat source (stove, oven, microwave)

• The crispiness of the pizza

• The size of the pizza

Ms. Phan wants to heat up leftover pizza and wonders what heat source will make her pizza the crispiest.

What is the dependent variable in her experiment?

• The heat source (stove, oven, microwave)

• The crispiness of the pizza

• How long she heats up the pizzas for

Jaynce thinks the amount of milk she drinks a day will help her grow taller. After drinking different amounts of milk, she measures her height in inches.

What is the dependent variable in her experiment?

• The amount of milk Jaynce drinks a day

• The type of milk Jaynce drinks
• Jaynce's height in inches

Diego thinks that the type of paper he uses affects how far his paper airplane will fly. He uses 3 types of paper and measures the distance in yards.

What is the independent variable in his experiment?

• The distance the paper airplane flies in yards

• The type of paper he uses
• The weight of the paper airplane

Ariana is testing if the type of soil affects the growth of her plants. After planting seeds in different types of soil, she measures the height of the plants in centimeters.

What is the dependent variable in her experiment?

• The height of the plants in centimeters

• The type of seeds Ariana plants

• The type of soil Ariana uses

Yadira believes the amount of time she spends studying will affect her test scores. After studying for different lengths of time, she records her test scores.

What is the dependent variable in her experiment?

• The amount of time Yadira spends studying

• Yadira's test scores

• The subject Yadira is studying

Adolfo hypothesizes that the temperature of water affects how quickly sugar dissolves. He uses 3 different water temperatures and measures the time it takes for the sugar to dissolve.

What is the independent variable in his experiment?

• The time it takes for the sugar to dissolve

• The amount of sugar he uses

• The temperature of the water

Stephen is testing if sunlight affects the growth of his tomato plants. After placing the plants in different amounts of sunlight, he measured the weight of the tomatoes in grams.

What is the independent variable in his experiment?

• The weight of the tomatoes in grams

• The type of tomato plants he uses

• The amount of sunlight the plants receive

Liliana hypothesizes that the type of music affects how well students are able to focus. She plays different types of music to a group of students and measures their concentration levels.

What is the dependent variable in her experiment?

• The students' concentration levels

• The type of music Liliana plays

• The number of students in the group