Page 5 - Mathematics Literacy Grade 11
P. 5
MODULE 1: PATTERNS AND RELATIONSHIPS
SECTION 1: VARIABLES
What is a variable?
A variable is a quantity which can assume any value in a situation. This means that it
is a value or an amount of something that can change.
Different types of variables
A variable can either be an independent variable or a dependent variable.
The independent variable starts a situation or it is the variable that can be changed
as you have control over it.
The dependent variable arises from a situation or it is the result of the independent
variable that changes.
When trying to identify the independent and dependent variable it helps to ask the
question: What two things are you measuring? Whatever they are, you will control
one and the other one is out of your control.
The variable that you control is the independent variable; the one you do not control,
in other words, the outcome, is the dependent variable. It helps to put it into a
sentence - only one will make sense...
Example: the time spent studying for a test causes a change in one’s test score. It
does not make sense that your test score could cause a change in the time you
spent studying.
4 | P a g e I v y A c a d e m y
