The equation \( c=8 t \) can be used to determine the total cost, \( c \), in dollars for \( t \) tickets to the school musical. a. Identify the independent variable and the dependent variable.

In this equation, the independent variable is \( t \) (the number of tickets), as you can choose how many tickets to purchase regardless of the cost. On the other hand, the dependent variable is \( c \) (the total cost), which changes based on the value of \( t \) since the total cost is determined by the number of tickets bought. Understanding the relationship between independent and dependent variables is crucial in various fields, such as statistics and finance, since it helps to identify cause-and-effect scenarios. For example, if you want to analyze how purchasing more tickets impacts your total spending, recognizing which variable influences the other lays the groundwork for effective budgeting and planning.