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Re: [Phys-l] Independent Variables



I suggest using the concept "function"..

The first time I remember that word was a teacher who said it was a box w/ a crank. Some input device and an output. It could be a slot for bills and a slot and tray for coins. You put in a bill turn the crank and out came coins. OR you put in a number out came another. A specific example the out number is always twice the input. i.e. Y = 2 * X Obviously the X is the independent and Y depends on the value of X.


I think (hope) w/ this image the students will no longer have trouble discerning the difference.

bc, who presumes the Crafty Phantom is not the syllabus writer.

thecraftyphantom@australia.edu wrote:

Ludwik,

you wrote


Why do you really want to deal with this issue?
Ludwik Kowalski


Not a bad question! The syllabus that I teach states,

"A student: justifies the appropriateness of a particular investigation
plan:
11.2 plan first-hand investigations to:
a) demonstrate the use of the terms 'dependent' and 'independent' to
describe variables involved in the investigation
b) identify variables that needed to be kept constant, develop strategies
to ensure that these variables are kept constant,
and demonstrate the use of a control"

It is highly likely that these concepts will be tested in some form or
other and so I have some concern about whether my students can meet the
syllabus requirements. The wording of the syllabus also means that I
cannot use substitute terminology except as an explanatory note, as the
students will be tested using the syllabus language. The final examination
is a state test that I have no control over.

Despite using some examples and discussing "cause and effect", a number of
students still identify the variables back to front. That is, they are
calling the dependent variable "independent" and the independent variable
"dependent".

regards
Peter Craft
Corowa High School




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