Chapter 4.2, Problem 46E

To determine

To identify the explanatory and response variable in this study and then identify if it is an experiment or observational study and explain.

Answer to Problem 46E

The computer/text study are the explanatory variables and the test score of the subject is the response variable and this study is an experiment.

Explanation of Solution

In this study the teacher wants to compare the results of the biology with the ways of the teaching habits that is the computer or the text studies. Here the computer/text study are the independent variable as it is not affected by any other variables whereas the test scores of the two groups is the dependent variable as it is dependent on the ways of teaching the biology subject. Thus, we have that the computer/text study are the explanatory variables and the test score of the subject is the response variable of the study.

Also, the teacher is experimenting the students and deliberately imposing some treatment on the students to gather the information. Thus, this study is an experiment.