Designing an Experiment to Test the Hypothesis on Insect Trapping Locations

Understanding the Dependent Variable in an Experiment

Dependent variable is that component of the hypothesis which is dependent on other factors and it gets change such as increase or decrease with the changes in those factors. For example, in the above hypothesis number of insects trapped depends on the location such as it is believed to be high near the cafeteria as compared to the gym or library.

Role of Independent and Dependent Variables

Number of insects trapped is a dependent variable in this experiment because it is influenced by the location of the pit traps, which is an independent variable. The independent variable is the factor that is manipulated or changed by the researchers to observe its effect on the dependent variable.

Constant Variables in the Experiment

Duration of the experiment (3 days) and the use of five pit traps are considered constant variables in this experiment. These variables are kept consistent throughout the experiment to ensure that any changes in the number of insects trapped are due to the location of the traps and not other external factors.

In conclusion, the dependent variable in this experiment is the number of insects trapped, as it varies based on the location of the traps. The location of traps serves as the independent variable, while the duration of the experiment and the number of pit traps remain constant throughout the study.