Independent Variable

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What Does Independent Variable Mean?

In computing, an independent variable is any variable that changes its value under a process, program, event, or any computing-specific interaction.

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It is used in computer programming to be assigned to a variable value, entity or process, or to calculate the value of a dependent variable.

Techopedia Explains Independent Variable

Independent variables have a broad range of utilization with almost all software programs and applications. Each independent variable can have any arbitrary value based on the context in which it is used. It can directly or indirectly affect the value of a dependent variable.

For example, the average number of website visitors from the US depends on the number of visits from this region and the total number of visitors. In this example, the number of visits from the US and the total number of visits are independent variables, whereas the net average is a dependent variable.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret é uma premiada redatora e professora conhecida por sua habilidade de explicar assuntos técnicos complexos para um público empresarial não técnico. Nos últimos vinte anos, suas definições de TI foram publicadas pela Que em uma enciclopédia de termos tecnológicos e citadas em artigos do New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine e Discovery Magazine. Ela ingressou na Techopedia em 2011. A ideia de Margaret de um dia divertido é ajudar os profissionais de TI e de negócios a aprenderem a falar os idiomas altamente especializados uns dos outros.