In: Math
A study is being made on Bacterial levels in Milk. We have 5 shipments of milk and take 6 cartons at random from each shipment to measure the bacteria from. All milk comes from the same factory. Nothing in the milk is being changed from shipment to shipment.
Results being:
Ship1 = 22,33,12,35,12,6
Ship2 = 1,2,3,4,5,6
Ship3 = 44,66,11,23,14,25
Ship4 = 10, 50 20,15,7,7
Ship5 = 5,6 ,10,22,4,6
In this scenario, what are the dependent and Independent variables? Note: there could be no independent variable
Independent variable is the variable that is changed by the investigator to investigate the effect on the dependent variable. The reaction observed is the dependent variable.
In this experiment, the random selection of 6 cartons in each of the 5 shipments tested by the researcher is the possible independent variable. However, only randomness of picking the samples is varied. The type of milk or number of cartons from each shipment is not changed. Hence, independent variable is not really changed or is nor present. It is just random selection by the investigator.
The dependent variable is the number of bacteria seen in each carton of the shipments, which is the result of the experiment.