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In pure mathematics

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In modeling and statistics

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Synonyms

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Other variables

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Examples

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See also
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Notes

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References

Dependent and independent variables

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Independent variable)
For dependent and independent random variables, see Independence (probability
theory).
A variable is considered dependent if it depends on an independent variable.
Dependent variables are studied under the supposition or demand that they depend,
by some law or rule (e.g., by a mathematical function), on the values of other
variables. Independent variables, in turn, are not seen as depending on any other
variable in the scope of the experiment in question.[a] In this sense, some common
independent variables are time, space, density, mass, fluid flow rate,[1][2] and previous
values of some observed value of interest (e.g. human population size) to predict
future values (the dependent variable).[3]

Of the two, it is always the dependent variable whose variation is being studied, by
altering inputs, also known as regressors in a statistical context. In an experiment,
any variable that can be attributed a value without attributing a value to any other
variable is called an independent variable. Models and experiments test the effects
that the independent variables have on the dependent variables. Sometimes, even if
their influence is not of direct interest, independent variables may be included for
other reasons, such as to account for their potential confounding effect.

In single variable calculus, a function is

typically graphed with the horizontal axis representing the independent variable and
the vertical axis representing the dependent variable.[4] In this function, y is the
dependent variable and x is the independent variable.
In pure mathematics[edit]
In mathematics, a function is a rule for taking an input (in the simplest case, a
number or set of numbers)[5] and providing an output (which may also be a number).
[5]
A symbol that stands for an arbitrary input is called an independent variable,
while a symbol that stands for an arbitrary output is called a dependent variable.
[6]
The most common symbol for the input is x, and the most common symbol for the
output is y; the function itself is commonly written y = f(x).[6][7]

It is possible to have multiple independent variables or multiple dependent variables.

For instance, in multivariable calculus, one often encounters functions of the
form z = f(x,y), where z is a dependent variable and x and y are independent
variables.[8] Functions with multiple outputs are often referred to as vector-valued
functions.

In modeling and statistics[edit]

In mathematical modeling, the relationship between the set of dependent variables
and set of independent variables is studied.[citation needed]

In the simple stochastic linear model yi = a + bxi + ei the term yi is the ith value of
the dependent variable and xi is the ith value of the independent variable. The
term ei is known as the "error" and contains the variability of the dependent variable
not explained by the independent variable.[citation needed]

With multiple independent variables, the model is yi = a + bxi,1 + bxi,2 + ... + bxi,n + ei,
where n is the number of independent variables.[citation needed]

In statistics, more specifically in linear regression, a scatter plot of data is generated

with X as the independent variable and Y as the dependent variable. This is also
called a bivariate dataset, (x1, y1)(x2, y2) ...(xi, yi). The simple linear regression model
takes the form of Yi = a + Bxi + Ui, for i = 1, 2, ... , n. In this case, Ui, ... ,Un are
independent random variables. This occurs when the measurements do not
influence each other. Through propagation of independence, the independence
of Ui implies independence of Yi, even though each Yi has a different expectation
value. Each Ui has an expectation value of 0 and a variance of σ2.[9] Expectation
of Yi Proof:[9]

The line of best fit for the bivariate dataset takes the form y = α + βx and is
called the regression line. α and β correspond to the intercept and slope,
respectively.[9]

In an experiment, the variable manipulated by an experimenter is something that

is proven to work, called an independent variable.[10] The dependent variable is
the event expected to change when the independent variable is manipulated.[11]

In data mining tools (for multivariate statistics and machine learning), the
dependent variable is assigned a role as target variable (or in some tools
as label attribute), while an independent variable may be assigned a role
as regular variable.[12] Known values for the target variable are provided for the
training data set and test data set, but should be predicted for other data. The
target variable is used in supervised learning algorithms but not in unsupervised
learning.

Synonyms[edit]
Depending on the context, an independent variable is sometimes called a
"predictor variable", "regressor", "covariate", "manipulated variable", "explanatory
variable", "exposure variable" (see reliability theory), "risk factor" (see medical
statistics), "feature" (in machine learning and pattern recognition) or "input
variable".[13][14] In econometrics, the term "control variable" is usually used instead
of "covariate".[15][16][17][18][19]

"Explanatory variable" is preferred by some authors over "independent variable"

when the quantities treated as independent variables may not be statistically
independent or independently manipulable by the researcher.[20][21] If the
independent variable is referred to as an "explanatory variable" then the term
"response variable" is preferred by some authors for the dependent variable.[14][20]
[21]

Depending on the context, a dependent variable is sometimes called a "response

variable", "regressand", "criterion", "predicted variable", "measured variable",
"explained variable", "experimental variable", "responding variable", "outcome
variable", "output variable", "target" or "label".[14] In economics endogenous
variables are usually referencing the target.

"Explained variable" is preferred by some authors over "dependent variable"

when the quantities treated as "dependent variables" may not be statistically
dependent.[22] If the dependent variable is referred to as an "explained variable"
then the term "predictor variable" is preferred by some authors for the
independent variable.[22]

An example is provided by the analysis of trend in sea level by Woodworth

(1987). Here the dependent variable (and variable of most interest) was the
annual mean sea level at a given location for which a series of yearly values
were available. The primary independent variable was time. Use was made of a
covariate consisting of yearly values of annual mean atmospheric pressure at
sea level. The results showed that inclusion of the covariate allowed improved
estimates of the trend against time to be obtained, compared to analyses which
omitted the covariate.

Antonym pairs

independent dependent

input output

regressor regressand

predictor predicted

explanatory explained

exogenous endogenous

manipulated measured

exposure outcome

feature label or target

Other variables[edit]
A variable may be thought to alter the dependent or independent variables, but
may not actually be the focus of the experiment. So that the variable will be kept
constant or monitored to try to minimize its effect on the experiment. Such
variables may be designated as either a "controlled variable", "control variable",
or "fixed variable".

Extraneous variables, if included in a regression analysis as independent

variables, may aid a researcher with accurate response parameter
estimation, prediction, and goodness of fit, but are not of substantive interest to
the hypothesis under examination. For example, in a study examining the effect
of post-secondary education on lifetime earnings, some extraneous variables
might be gender, ethnicity, social class, genetics, intelligence, age, and so forth.
A variable is extraneous only when it can be assumed (or shown) to influence
the dependent variable. If included in a regression, it can improve the fit of the
model. If it is excluded from the regression and if it has a non-
zero covariance with one or more of the independent variables of interest, its
omission will bias the regression's result for the effect of that independent
variable of interest. This effect is called confounding or omitted variable bias; in
these situations, design changes and/or controlling for a variable statistical
control is necessary.

Extraneous variables are often classified into three types:

1. Subject variables, which are the characteristics of the individuals

being studied that might affect their actions. These variables
include age, gender, health status, mood, background, etc.
2. Blocking variables or experimental variables are characteristics of
the persons conducting the experiment which might influence how
a person behaves. Gender, the presence of racial discrimination,
language, or other factors may qualify as such variables.
3. Situational variables are features of the environment in which the
study or research was conducted, which have a bearing on the
outcome of the experiment in a negative way. Included are the air
temperature, level of activity, lighting, and time of day.
In modelling, variability that is not covered by the independent variable is
designated by and is known as the "residual", "side effect", "error", "unexplained
share", "residual variable", "disturbance", or "tolerance".

Examples[edit]
 Effect of fertilizer on plant growths:
In a study measuring the influence of different quantities of fertilizer on plant
growth, the independent variable would be the amount of fertilizer used. The
dependent variable would be the growth in height or mass of the plant. The
controlled variables would be the type of plant, the type of fertilizer, the
amount of sunlight the plant gets, the size of the pots, etc.

 Effect of drug dosage on symptom severity:

In a study of how different doses of a drug affect the severity of symptoms, a
researcher could compare the frequency and intensity of symptoms when
different doses are administered. Here the independent variable is the dose
and the dependent variable is the frequency/intensity of symptoms.

 Effect of temperature on pigmentation:

In measuring the amount of color removed from beetroot samples at different
temperatures, temperature is the independent variable and amount of pigment
removed is the dependent variable.

 Effect of sugar added in a coffee:

The taste varies with the amount of sugar added in the coffee. Here, the sugar
is the independent variable, while the taste is the dependent variable.
See also[edit]
 Abscissa and ordinate
 Blocking (statistics)
 Latent and observable variables
Notes[edit]
1. ^ Even if the existing dependency is invertible (e.g., by
finding the inverse function when it exists), the
nomenclature is kept if the inverse dependency is not the
object of study in the experiment.

References[edit]
1. ^ Aris, Rutherford (1994). Mathematical modelling
techniques. Courier Corporation.
2. ^ Boyce, William E.; Richard C.
DiPrima (2012). Elementary differential equations. John
Wiley & Sons.
3. ^ Alligood, Kathleen T.; Sauer, Tim D.; Yorke, James A.
(1996). Chaos an introduction to dynamical systems.
Springer New York.
4. ^ Hastings, Nancy Baxter. Workshop calculus: guided
exploration with review. Vol. 2. Springer Science &
Business Media, 1998. p. 31
5. ^ Jump up to:a b Carlson, Robert. A concrete introduction
to real analysis. CRC Press, 2006. p.183
6. ^ Jump up to:a b Stewart, James. Calculus. Cengage
Learning, 2011. Section 1.1
7. ^ Anton, Howard, Irl C. Bivens, and Stephen Davis.
Calculus Single Variable. John Wiley & Sons, 2012.
Section 0.1
8. ^ Larson, Ron, and Bruce Edwards. Calculus. Cengage
Learning, 2009. Section 13.1
9. ^ Jump up to:a b c Dekking, Frederik Michel (2005), A
modern introduction to probability and statistics:
 understanding why and how, Springer, ISBN 1-85233-
896-2, OCLC 783259968
10. ^ "Variables".
11. ^ Random House Webster's Unabridged
Dictionary. Random House, Inc. 2001. Page 534,
971. ISBN 0-375-42566-7.
12. ^ English Manual version 1.0 Archived 2014-02-10 at
the Wayback Machine for RapidMiner 5.0, October 2013.
13. ^ Dodge, Y. (2003) The Oxford Dictionary of Statistical
Terms, OUP. ISBN 0-19-920613-9 (entry for
"independent variable")
14. ^ Jump up to:a b c Dodge, Y. (2003) The Oxford Dictionary
of Statistical Terms, OUP. ISBN 0-19-920613-9 (entry for
"regression")
15. ^ Gujarati, Damodar N.; Porter, Dawn C. (2009).
"Terminology and Notation". Basic Econometrics (Fifth
international ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
p. 21. ISBN 978-007-127625-2.
16. ^ Wooldridge, Jeffrey (2012). Introductory Econometrics:
A Modern Approach (Fifth ed.). Mason, OH: South-
Western Cengage Learning. pp. 22–23. ISBN 978-1-
111-53104-1.
17. ^ Last, John M., ed. (2001). A Dictionary of
Epidemiology (Fourth ed.). Oxford UP. ISBN 0-19-
514168-7.
18. ^ Everitt, B. S. (2002). The Cambridge Dictionary of
Statistics (2nd ed.). Cambridge UP. ISBN 0-521-81099-
X.
19. ^ Woodworth, P. L. (1987). "Trends in U.K. mean sea
level". Marine Geodesy. 11 (1): 57–
87. Bibcode:1987MarGe..11...57W. doi:10.1080/152106
08709379549.
20. ^ Jump up to:a b Everitt, B.S. (2002) Cambridge Dictionary
of Statistics, CUP. ISBN 0-521-81099-X
21. ^ Jump up to:a b Dodge, Y. (2003) The Oxford Dictionary
of Statistical Terms, OUP. ISBN 0-19-920613-9
22. ^ Jump up to:a b Ash Narayan Sah (2009) Data Analysis
Using Microsoft Excel, New Delhi. ISBN 978-81-7446-
716-4

Wikiversity has learning resources about Independent variable

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Differential equations
  Differential operator
 Notation for differentiation
 Ordinary
 Partial
 Differential-algebraic
Operations
 Integro-differential
 Fractional
 Linear
 Non-linear
 Holonomic

 Dependent and independent variables

 Homogeneous
fication
 Nonhomogeneous
 Coupled
Attributes of  Decoupled
variables  Order
 Degree
 Autonomous
 Exact differential equation
 On jet bundles

 Difference (discrete analogue)

Relation to  Stochastic
processes  Stochastic partial
 Delay

olutions  Picard–Lindelöf theorem

 Peano existence theorem
Existence/uniqueness
 Carathéodory's existence theorem
 Cauchy–Kowalevski theorem

Solution topics  Wronskian

 Phase portrait
 Phase space
 Lyapunov stability
 Asymptotic stability
 Exponential stability
 Rate of convergence
 Series solutions
  Integral solutions
 Numerical integration
 Dirac delta function

 Inspection
 Substitution
 Separation of variables
 Method of undetermined coefficients
 Variation of parameters
 Integrating factor
 Integral transforms
Solution methods  Euler method
 Finite difference method
 Crank–Nicolson method
 Runge–Kutta methods
 Finite element method
 Finite volume method
 Galerkin method
 Perturbation theory

 List of named differential equations

 List of linear ordinary differential equations
xamples
 List of nonlinear ordinary differential equations
 List of nonlinear partial differential equations

aticians  Isaac Newton

 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz
 Leonhard Euler
 Jacob Bernoulli
 Émile Picard
 Józef Maria Hoene-Wroński
 Ernst Lindelöf
 Rudolf Lipschitz
 Joseph-Louis Lagrange
 Augustin-Louis Cauchy
 John Crank
 Phyllis Nicolson
 Carl David Tolmé Runge
 Martin Kutta
 Sofya Kovalevskaya
Categories:
 Design of experiments
 Regression analysis
 Mathematical terminology
 Independence (probability theory)
 This page was last edited on 12 April 2024, at 04:15 (UTC).
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