Question:
What is the difference between "is y a function of x" and "is x a function of y"?
anonymous
2012-01-14 12:54:52 UTC
I have a table that looks like this:

Date | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
Temp | 73 | 77 | 69 | 73 | 75 | 75 | 70 |

I know that one is not the function of the other but I'm not sure. Is it temperature that is not a function of the date or is it the date that is not a function of the temperature?
Three answers:
?
2012-01-14 13:26:03 UTC
Temperature is NOT a function of Date

---------------------but-----------------------------

Date IS a function of Temperature



{for explanation of my reasoning, read on...}



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OPTION A:



If it asks "is Y a function of X" then...

...if y has its own x and that x is not shared by a different y, then yes, it's a function.

...if two y's are the same number, but their x's are not the same number as each other, then no, it's not a function.

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EXAMPLE A1:

Date (x) | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |

Temp (y) | 63 | 77 | 69 | 73 | 75 | 75 | 70 |



You see how two of the y's are 75?

You see how their x's (21 and 22) are two different numbers?

That means y is NOT a function of x

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EXAMPLE A2:

Date (x) | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 23 |

Temp (y) | 63 | 77 | 69 | 73 | 75 | 75 | 70 |



You see how two of the y's are 75?

You see how their x's (21 and 21) are both the same number?

That means y IS a function of x



__________________________________________________________________________________





OPTION B:

If it asks "is X a function of Y" then...

...if x has its own y and that y is not shared by a different x, then it's yes, a function.

...if two x's are the same number, but their y's are not the same number as each other, then no, it's not a function.

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EXAMPLE B1:

Date (x) | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 23 |

Temp (y) | 63 | 77 | 69 | 73 | 74 | 75 | 70 |



You see how two of the x's are 21?

You see how their y's (74 and 75) are two different numbers?

That means x is NOT a function of y

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EXAMPLE B2:

Date (x) | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 23 |

Temp (y) | 63 | 77 | 69 | 73 | 75 | 75 | 70 |



You see how two of the x's are 21?

You see how their y's (75 and 75) are both the same number?

That means x IS a function of y
?
2012-01-14 21:01:15 UTC
Either one can be true. If date is provided and you need to find the temperature recorded on that date, then date is the independent variable and temperature is the dependent variable. So Date would be X and temperature would be Y. Y is a function of X.

If the situation was reversed and you were given a temperature and needed to find out the dates that had that temperature for max or min. The temperature becomes the independent variable and dates become the dependent variable. So TEMPERATURE would be X and DATE would be Y. Y is a function of X.

It is a convention to choose X the independent variable and Y the dependent variable.
anonymous
2012-01-14 20:55:56 UTC
Date is x.

Temp is Y.


This content was originally posted on Y! Answers, a Q&A website that shut down in 2021.
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