Variable

1. Income - expenditure - adjective.

Variable costs and income are amounts that can change within a forecasting or review period.

Contrasted with fixed costs and income.

The term "variable" is a relative one, because - when a long enough time frame is considered - most items become variable.

2. Financial maths - noun.

In financial maths, a variable is a number that can take more than one value.

For example, a rate of inflation.

Contrasted with a constant, that - by definition - does not change.

3. Analysis - modelling - inputs - assumptions.

An relevant amount that - if it were to change - would be expected to change the results of analysis or modelling.

See also

• Argument
• Constant
• Continuous random variable
• Contribution
• Correlation
• Cost behaviour
• Direct costs
• Discrete random variable
• Expense
• Exponential constant
• Financial analysis
• Fixed cost
• Flexible budgeting
• Gearing
• Indirect costs
• Input
• Management accounting
• Model
• Operational gearing
• Semi-fixed cost
• Semi-variable cost
• Variable cost
• Variable currency
• Variable net asset value
• Variable rate