The independent variable on a graph is what you are testing. Which option correctly reflects this?

• A. What you are measuring
• B. The dependent variable
• C. The data point
• D. What you are testing

Answer: (D)

The independent variable is the factor you deliberately change to see its effect, so it’s what you are testing. That’s why the option that says “What you are testing” is the best match. The thing you measure in response to that change is the dependent variable, which is described by the option about what you are measuring. A data point is just a single observed value on the graph, not the variable itself.