What is a Dependent Variable?

• A. The factor that is kept constant
• B. The factor deliberately changed
• C. The result that is measured; the data
• D. The place where observations are recorded

Answer: (C)

The dependent variable is the result you measure in an experiment—the data that shows how the system responds. It depends on what you change. When you deliberately vary something (the independent variable) to see its effect, you look at the dependent variable to understand the outcome. For example, if you change the amount of light plants receive, the plant height or biomass you measure becomes the dependent variable because those measurements reveal the effect of light on growth. Constants are kept the same to avoid skewing results, and the place you record observations is just the data collection method, not the variable itself.