Whats a independent variable and an dependent variable? explain?

I need to figure out the dependent and independent variable of my data set.Whats a independent variable and an dependent variable? explain?
thetyman is a weird looking guy. But he has a point
The words "dependent" and "independent" distinguish between what you are given and what you are trying to find with what you are given-----for example



speed = distance / elapsed time



here speed is the dependent variable because in THIS equation it is what you are trying to determine and it "depends" upon the independent variables, distance and elapsed time



However if you rearrange this equation and solve for distance



distance = speed X elapsed time



Now distance is the "dependent" variable and now speed and elapsed time are the "independents"...



Make sense?Whats a independent variable and an dependent variable? explain?
Example y = 2 x

The value of y "depends" on the value you give to x.

if x =1, y=2; if x=2, y=4; etc

x is "independent", because it is the one you assign different values to.

Now if the equation would be x = 2 y, then x would be the dependent one.Whats a independent variable and an dependent variable? explain?
when two variables are related to each other by an equation say 3x -- 4y = 12 then

in y = (3/4)x -- 4, y is dependent variable and x is independent variable.

in x = (4/3)y + 4, x is dependent variable and y is independent variable.
is it math or science?