Name__________________________ Date________________________________
Compare Representations Portfolio
Worksheet
Directions: Use this worksheet to record your answers to the road trip activity in
the Compare Presentations Portfolio. When you are finished, save this worksheet
with your answers and submit it for a portfolio grade.
Your family decides to take a long road trip for the summer. You will be riding in the
car while it moves at a fairly constant rate for eight hours to reach your destination.
Record your answers to the questions about this road trip below.
Question 1
Which quantity in this situation is the independent variable?
Which quantity is the dependent variable?
Describe how you know which is which in this situation.
The independent variable in this situation is the time spent on the road trip. The dependent variable is the distance traveled during the road trip.
We know that time is the independent variable because it is the variable that we have control over and can change. The distance traveled, on the other hand, depends on the time spent traveling. As time increases, the distance traveled also increases. Therefore, distance traveled is the dependent variable in this situation.
Which Quantity is the dependent variable
The dependent variable in this situation is the distance traveled during the road trip.
Question 2
What do you think is a reasonable speed for the car to travel at for most of the trip?
Remember to include units of measurement in your answer.
Why did you pick this number?