In Mr. Park's class, Erin and Luis have each built a pencil holder. They want to know whose holder stays up better when the desk is bumped.
Different bumps
Erin bumps her desk gently. Her holder stays up.
Luis bumps his desk hard. His holder tips over.
So is Erin's holder better? Nobody can tell. The bumps were different. This is not a fair test.
The same bump
Now they bump both desks the same way, hard. Erin's holder tips over. Luis's holder stays up.
The bumps were the same, so the holders made the difference. This is a fair test.
| Erin's desk | Luis's desk | Fair? | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First try | gentle bump | hard bump | No. The bumps were different. |
| Second try | hard bump | hard bump | Yes. The bumps were the same. |
To compare two designs, give both the same test.
Then the only difference is the design.