Consider the relationship between the height of a tree and time. The height of the tree would be considered which of the following?
(1 point)
Responses
function
input function
independent variable
dependent variable
dependent variable
Usually yes, you say the height is a function of time
but
If you are a historian trying to decide how old the tree was when it died, then time alive is a function of height :)
In that case, the height of the tree would be considered the independent variable.
In the relationship between the height of a tree and time, the height of the tree would be considered the dependent variable.
To understand why, let's break down the terms. In this scenario, we are interested in how the height of the tree changes over time. The height of the tree is the quantity we are measuring or observing, and it is expected to change based on the passage of time.
The dependent variable, in general, is the variable that is being measured or observed and is affected by the independent variable. In this case, the height of the tree is affected by time. As time passes, the tree grows taller, and therefore, the height of the tree depends on the passage of time.
On the other hand, the independent variable is the variable that is being manipulated or controlled. In this scenario, time is not being controlled or manipulated; instead, it is the factor that is affecting the height of the tree.
So, the height of the tree is considered the dependent variable in this relationship.