Factor
An input deliberately varied in a designed experiment — e.g. temperature, pressure, material type.
Also known as: input variable, control factor, independent variable
A factor is a quantity deliberately set to different levels during the experiment to quantify its effect on the response.
- Continuous (numeric) — e.g. temperature in °C, concentration in %, time in seconds
- Categorical (qualitative) — e.g. supplier A/B, material type, machine 1/2/3
- Controllable — directly adjustable (control factor)
- Noise — known but not adjustable (ambient humidity, batch fluctuation)
See also
Used in
In the Algorithm Lab
Sources
- Montgomery, D. C. — Design and Analysis of Experiments, 10th Edition, Chapter 1
- Kleppmann, W. — Versuchsplanung, 10. Auflage, Hanser