Word Origin and History for attenuate Expand v. to make thin, to make less, 1520s, from Latin attenuatus enfeebled, weak, past participle of attenuare to make thin, lessen, diminish, from ad-to (see ad-) + tenuare make thin, from tenuis thin (see tenet).
Dependent Variable Definition: A dependent variable is the variable being tested in a scientific experiment. The dependent variable is 'dependent' on the independent variable. As the experimenter changes the independent variable, the change in the dependent variable is observed and recorded.
The independent (or manipulated) variable is something that the experimenter purposely changes or varies over the course of the investigation. The dependent (or responding) variable is the one that is observed and likely changes in response to the independent variable. For example, a student might change the position of a planeâs wing to see how it affects the average speed of a model plane. The wing position would be the independent variable- because the student purposely changes its location.