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variable

Definition

Variable is something that can change. It can be anything, like the height of a plant, the temperature of a liquid, or the amount of time it takes to solve a problem.

In science, we use variables to represent the things that we are trying to measure or control in an experiment. For example, if we are trying to see how the amount of water affects the growth of a plant, we might use the amount of water as a variable.

We can change the value of a variable to see how it affects other things. In the plant experiment, we could change the amount of water to see how it affects the height of the plant.

How can the word be used?

The temperature is a variable in this equation.

variable

Different forms of the word

Noun: a quantity that can change in value.

Adjective: of or relating to a variable.

Etymology

The word "variable" comes from the Latin word "variabilis", which means "changeable".

The first recorded use of the word "variable" in English was in the 16th century.

Question

What role does the variable play in any science investigation?