Final answer:
The independent variable should be placed on the horizontal or x-axis, and the dependent variable should be on the vertical or y-axis, adhering to the convention used in graphing physical quantities, where the linear relationship is often expressed as y = mx + b.
Step-by-step explanation:
When creating a graph, the independent variable should be placed on the horizontal axis, or x-axis. This is the variable that is manipulated or controlled in an experiment or data collection. The dependent variable, which is the variable that responds and is measured, should be plotted on the vertical axis, or y-axis. An example of such a graph might be one where time is plotted on the x-axis and distance traveled is plotted on the y-axis. This arrangement allows for a direct visualization of how changes in the independent variable affect the dependent variable, and it follows the general form of a linear equation, y = mx + b, where y is the dependent variable and x is the independent variable.