Question

Jillian walked 0.5 miles before she started jogging at an average pace of 5 miles per hour. The equation d = 0.5 + 5t can be used to relate the total distance, d, in miles to the time, t, that Jillian spent jogging. What are the independent and dependent variables?

Answer 1

The independent varaibke is time. The depedent variable is the total distance.

Answer 2

Answer: independent variable: time (t). Dependent variable: distance (d).

Explanation: an independent variable is a variable whose variation does not depend on that of another. In the given problem, the independent variable is time, because time will pass by no matter what (without depending in any other variable). The dependent variable in this case is the distance, because how far Jillian goes, depends on how much time she expends walking and jogging.