Which is the independent variable? The times to take samples were determined by the investigator. Time is the independent variable.
Which is the dependent variable? The height of a seedling depended on the time it was sampled. Height is the measured quantity, making it the dependent variable
Weekly height measurements for seedlings of Acer palmatum:
| week | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 10 | 12 |
| measured | 1.2 | 1.4 | 1.4 | 1.9 | 5.8 | 5.7 | 5.3 |
| heights | 0.3 | 0.5 | 2.0 | 3.0 | 2.9 | 4.8 | 5.1 |
| in inches | 1.1 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 3.8 | 4.9 | 4.8 | 8.5 |
| 1.1 | 1.7 | 2.2 | 2.6 | 3.7 | 8.2 | 8.2 | |
| 1.0 | 1.8 | 2.4 | 3.5 | 5.6 | 6.1 | 7.0 | |
| 1.5 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 5.5 | |
| 1.3 | 1.5 | 2.0 | 3.1 | 1.1 | 8.3 | 5.6 | |
| 0.8 | 1.5 | 2.1 | 3.1 | 4.6 | 6.1 | 2.2 | |
| 1.7 | 1.7 | 2.5 | 4.3 | 4.2 | 7.4 | 4.8 | |
| 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 5.0 | 5.1 | 3.7 | 8.4 | |
| 1.6 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 1.8 | 3.8 | 4.3 | 4.3 | |
| 1.1 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 2.8 | 7.4 | 4.3 | 5.9 |
The investigator is interested in presenting the relationship between seedling height and time. Should these data be plotted on a graph?
Yes
No
If you do plot these data, which variable will you plot on the y (vertical) axis?
Independent variable (time)
Dependent variable (height)NOTE: The data table will be reproduced at the bottoms of the pages that follow