Definition of

Dependent Variable

Dependent Variable

The "output" value of a function.

(It is called dependent because its value depends on what you put into the function.)

Example: y = x2
• x is an Independent Variable
• y is the Dependent Variable
y is 4 if we put in x=2
y is 9 if we put in x=3, and so on
(See how y gets pushed around by x? That isn't nice at all.)

Example: h = 2w + d
• w is an Independent Variable
• d is an Independent Variable
• h is the Dependent Variable