misleadingvariable
nounUK /ˌmɪsˈliːdɪŋ ˈveəriəbl/
US /ˌmɪsˈliːdɪŋ ˈveriəbl/
A misleading variable is a name in a computer program that makes you think it holds one thing when it really holds something else.
The variable called totalPrice actually stored a discount, so it was a misleading variable.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A factor in a study that makes results look different from what they really are.
The researchers realized that time of day was a misleading variable in their experiment.
3. A number or symbol in math that seems to stand for one value but is used for another.
In the puzzle, x was a misleading variable because it changed meaning halfway through.
4. A name in a spreadsheet that points to the wrong cell or data.
The budget sheet had a misleading variable that pulled numbers from last year's column.