Dependent variable: Distance from home (y)
Independent variable: Number of miles walked (x)
Identification of dependent and independent variables
In the equation y = x + 5, the dependent variable is represented by y, and the independent variable is represented by x.
The dependent variable is the variable that depends on or is influenced by changes in the independent variable.
In this case, the distance from home (y) depends on the number of miles walked (x). As you walk more miles, the distance from home increases, and as you walk fewer miles, the distance from home decreases. Therefore, y (distance from home) is the dependent variable.
The independent variable, x (number of miles walked), is the variable that you have control over and can freely choose or change. It is the variable that determines or influences the value of the dependent variable.
You are walking directly away from your house. You are 5 miles away from your house when you start walking, so you can determine your distance from your house by adding 5 to the number of miles you have walked. In the equation below, x represents the number of miles you have walked, and y represents your distance from home in miles. The relationship between these two variables can be expressed by the following equation: y = x + 5. Identify the dependent and independent variables.