Which term is the data you measure in an experiment?

Which term is the data you measure in an experiment?

• A. Independent Variable
• B. The outcome of the experiment
• C. The measured result
• D. Dependent Variable

Answer: (D)

The data you collect in an experiment are measurements of the dependent variable—the factor you observe and quantify as it responds to the changes you make. You control or vary the independent variable to test its effect, but the data themselves come from what happens to the dependent variable. The other ideas are broader terms: the independent variable is what you change, not the data you measure, and phrases like the outcome or measured result describe the data in general terms but don’t name the specific quantity being tracked. For example, in a plant-growth test, the height of the plant is the dependent variable because it depends on how much fertilizer or sunlight you provide, and that height is what you record as your data.

The data you collect in an experiment are measurements of the dependent variable—the factor you observe and quantify as it responds to the changes you make. You control or vary the independent variable to test its effect, but the data themselves come from what happens to the dependent variable. The other ideas are broader terms: the independent variable is what you change, not the data you measure, and phrases like the outcome or measured result describe the data in general terms but don’t name the specific quantity being tracked. For example, in a plant-growth test, the height of the plant is the dependent variable because it depends on how much fertilizer or sunlight you provide, and that height is what you record as your data.