The DEPENDENT VARIABLE (see “words you need” page for a definition) must be quantitative. That means it can be measured in numbers (as opposed to qualitative variables that are described with adjectives)
You could measure…
• size or a change in size: weight, height, length, volume, area, perimeter, diameter
• speed (= distance / time)
• concentration (= # / volume)
• density (= mass/volume)
• frequency (how often something happens)
• angles and/or direction
• percent coverage, percent change (loss or increase)
• and many other things like temperature, humidity, light, sound, pH, wind speed, direction, water quality, tidal height, heart rate, blood pressure, reaction time
The INDEPENDENT VARIABLE can be either quantitative or qualitative.
Examples of qualitative variables would include:
• color: red, blue, green, yellow, orange
• male/female
• small, medium, large
• slow, medium, fast
• high, low
• old, young
• labels for groupings: A, B, C, D, E
• any type of category
