Independent and Dependent Variables in Real World Math

Which label best describes the independent quantities shown in the table?

• Number of tickets (t)

• Cost (c)

On a graph, which axis shows the dependent variable?

• x-axis

• y-axis

• neither

• it changes

On a graph, which axis shows the independent variable?

• x-axis

• y-axis

• neither

• it changes

A(n) _____________ variable depends on or is changed by another variable.

• dependent

• independent

Which is the dependent variable?

• x

• y

• -1/2

• 4

Which is the dependent variable?

• x

• y

• -1/2

• 4

Elizabeth hired a cleaning service to clean her house. To find C, the total cost of cleaning her house, she used the following equation.

C = 7.5x + 25

What is the dependent variable for the equation?

• 7.25

• 25

• C

• x

Elizabeth hired a cleaning service to clean her house. To find C, the total cost of cleaning her house, she used the following equation.

C = 7.5x + 25

What is the dependent variable for the equation?

• 7.25

• 25

• C

• x

What is the dependent variable in the equation y = 3x - 2?

• y

• x

• -2

• 3x

Match the following using the given graph of a two-variable equation.

• 8 m/s

• Time it takes to reach a velocity of 20 m/s

• Velocity in m/s

• Dependent Variable x

• y = 4x

• Equation

• 5 seconds

• Independent Variable y

• Time in seconds

• Velocity after 2 minutes