What do the independent & dependent variables represent in an experiment?
Independent and dependent variables are mathematical tools used in an experiment to keep track of what’s going on. They allow you to maintain control over your experiment in a quantitative way. That is, using them, you will be able to measure your results and draw accurate conclusions. The Independent part is what you, the experimenter, changes or enacts in order to do your experiment. The dependent variable is what changes when the independent variable changes – the dependent variable depends on the outcome of the independent variable.
