35. As the number of credit hours a student takes in a semester increases, the amount of tuition, access fees, and the number of student loans available also increase. Which of the following is the independent variable?
Answer: B
The independent variable is the number of credit hours.
The independent variable in this context is the number of credit hours a student takes in a semester, as it influences the amount of tuition, access fees, and the number of student loans available.
A) Amount of tuition
The amount of tuition is a dependent variable because it changes in response to the number of credit hours a student enrolls in. It is not independent since it is affected by the choices made regarding credit hours.
B) Number of credit hours
The number of credit hours is the correct independent variable because it is the factor that is manipulated in this scenario. It directly affects the other variables, such as tuition, access fees, and student loans, making it the cause of the changes observed.
C) Number of student loans available
The number of student loans available is a dependent variable, as it is influenced by the number of credit hours a student is taking. This variable changes based on the credit hours and is not an independent factor in this scenario.
D) Amount of access fees
The amount of access fees is also a dependent variable since it is determined by the number of credit hours a student enrolls in. It is not independent because it reacts to changes in the independent variable, which is the number of credit hours.
Conclusion
The number of credit hours is definitively the independent variable in this context, as it is the factor that influences the tuition, access fees, and student loans. All other options are dependent variables that respond to the changes in the number of credit hours taken by the student.