Final answer:
The dependent variable in the situation where coat sales increase when it is cold outside is the coat sales, as they vary according to the change in temperature, which is the independent variable.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the given situation where coat sales go up when it is cold outside, the dependent variable is the one that changes in response to another variable. Here, the coat sales represent the dependent variable because their quantity varies as a reaction to the changes in weather conditions, particularly the temperature. On the other hand, the weather or the temperature is the independent variable since it influences or causes the change in coat sales.
Typically, in scenarios where variables are related, one variable (the dependent variable) depends on the status or variation of another variable (the independent variable). This relationship helps researchers and students alike to understand and predict how changes in one thing can affect another.