The attribute you want to predict in a predictive model is called a(n) _________.

• A. Independent variable
• B. Identifying variable
• C. Predictor variable
• D. Dependent variable

Answer: (D)

In predictive modeling, you separate what you know (the inputs) from what you want to know (the result you forecast). The attribute you want to predict is the dependent variable—the outcome the model estimates for new data. The model learns a function that maps the input features (often called independent or predictor variables) to this target. So the correct term for the thing you aim to predict is the dependent variable, also known as the target or label. The inputs are the independent/predictor variables, not the thing being predicted.