Final answer:
In the function y = 12, the independent variable is implied to be x (although not explicitly stated), and the dependent variable is y. The constant 12 is not a variable; it merely represents the value that y is always equal to in this equation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The function provided is y = 12, which is a special case in the standard form of a linear equation y = a + bx. In this context, the number 12 is a constant. It does not represent a variable, so it cannot be an independent or dependent variable. Typically, in a function, the independent variable is what you choose or manipulate, while the dependent variable is what changes in response to the independent variable.
In standard form, x is usually the independent variable, and y is the dependent variable. Since x is not explicitly mentioned in the function y = 12, we must assume it is implied to be 0, making y = 12 a horizontal line on a graph. This is a unique situation where the value of y does not depend on x since it is always 12.
Therefore, for the function y = 12:
- Independent variable: x (implied to be 0)
- Dependent variable: y