For in context, the is often referred to as the
independent variable because it can be chosen from the . Conversely, the is called the
dependent variable because its value
depends on the value of the independent variable. For example, consider how the cost of fruit is determined by weight.
costy==unit price 2.5×⋅ weightx
If the unit price of clementines is
$2.50/lb, then the total cost of buying clementines
depends on how many pounds are bought. Therefore, the cost of clementines
y is the
dependent variable and the number of pounds
x is the
independent variable.