what are independent variables

An independent variable is the variable that is manipulated or changed in an experiment. It is the variable that is thought to affect the dependent variable. In other words, it is the cause in a cause-and-effect relationship. For example, in a study on how the dosage of a medicine affects blood sugar levels, the dosage of the medicine is the independent variable. It is called "independent" because its value is not dependent on other variables in the study. It is also referred to as an explanatory or predictor variable. In a mathematical equation, it is often represented on the x-axis. Some common examples of independent variables include time, temperature, dosage, and gender