variable

Everyday

1. (adjective) Changing often or able to change: variable weather. tree →
2. (noun, maths) A letter or symbol, such as x or n, that stands for a number we do not know or that can change. tree →
3. (noun, science) Something that can change in an experiment, such as temperature or time. tree →

In the lessons

In maths: «Let n be the number of apples» – n is the variable. In science: a fair test changes one variable and keeps the others the same. In everyday life: variable weather, variable prices. Phrases: «independent variable», «keep variables the same».

Examples

• In 3 + x = 10, x is the variable, and x = 7. tree →
• The weather in spring is variable. tree →
• In our test, the only variable we changed was the amount of water. tree →
• Keep every other variable the same for a fair test. tree →
• The price of fruit is variable through the year. tree →
• The heater has a variable setting from low to high. tree →
• Author's archaic and variable spelling and hyphenation is preserved. tree →

Note

Plural variables. In maths a variable is usually a letter in italics. In a fair test: change one variable, measure another, keep the rest the same. Opposite of the adjective: constant, fixed.