Controlling Variables in Engineering

The video uses a gaming analogy to explain the importance of identifying and controlling variables in engineering. It highlights how changing one variable at a time can affect the outcome of a solution. Through a game demonstration, the video shows how engineers test solutions by altering variables to understand their impact on results.

What is the main similarity between gaming and engineering as discussed in the video?

• Both are unpredictable.

• Both require identifying and controlling variables.

• Both are forms of entertainment.

• Both involve teamwork.

Which of the following is an example of a controllable variable?

• Gravity

• Time of day

• Height from which a ball is dropped

• Weather conditions

What is the term used to describe the result of a solution?

• Experiment

• Outcome

• Hypothesis

• Variable

In the marshmallow game, what are the two variables that can be controlled?

• The type of slingshot and the number of marshmallows

• The speed of the wind and the weight of the marshmallows

• The angle of the launch and the distance pulled back on the slingshot

• The color of the marshmallows and the size of the slingshot

What is the goal of the marshmallow game?

• To count the marshmallows

• To eat all the marshmallows

• To knock down a pile of marshmallows

• To build a tower of marshmallows

What was the outcome when the angle of the slingshot was changed while keeping the pull constant?

• Partial knockdown

• Complete miss

• No effect

• Total knockdown

Why do engineers change only one variable at a time?

• To save time

• To ensure they understand the effect of each variable

• To make the process more complex

• To increase the number of experiments

What happens if more than one variable is changed at a time?

• The process is faster

• The outcome is always positive

• It becomes unclear which variable caused the outcome

• The solution becomes more efficient

What is the purpose of identifying variables in engineering?

• To increase the number of variables

• To complicate the design process

• To determine which variables can be controlled

• To make the process more fun

What is the importance of controlling variables in engineering?

• To reduce the number of experiments needed

• To ensure the solution is cost-effective

• To make the process more enjoyable

• To understand the relationship between variables and outcomes