Vmodel Help

Model building blocks

Causes
These relators show affects on number describers or relationships between them. For example there's a relationship between the quantity age and the quantity amount of knowledge. They are called causes, because usually these relationships cause the problem seen in the problem statement.

Affects
When you think that something changes the amount or value of a number describer, but you don't know how, use this. This is a one way relationship. Examples: amount of humidity somehow affects amount of rain; amount of homework affects amount of happiness.

Linked-with
When one number describer goes up or down the other does too. This is a two way relationship. Example: The more that someone can exercise, the more energy they have, but the more energy they have, the more they can excercise.

Linked-to
One number describer goes up only if the other one does. This is a one way relationship. Example: How good Paulo is at the piano is linked to the amount of time he practices.

linked-opposite-with
When one number describer goes up or down the other does the opposite, like a see saw. This is a two way relationship. Example: How cloudy the sky is is linked opposite with how sunny it is.

linked-opposite-to
When one number describer goes up or down the other does the opposite, but it doesn't work in reverse. This is a one way relationship. Example: Shawna's level of happiness is linked opposite to many chores she has to do, but the amount of chores don't change because she's happy or sad.

Increases
When a process increases an amount or level or other number describer, use this. This is a one way relationship. Example: The process growing increases Tony's height.

Decreases
When a process decreases an amount or level or other number describer, use this. This is a one way relationship. Example: the process eating decreases the amount of food on my plate. The process breathing decreases oxygen in a closed area.

Number-Comparers
These compare how big or small quantities (things that can be measured) are. Use them between number describers. Example: You might want to compare the growth rate of two plants.

Greater-Than
When one quantity (something that can be measured) is greater mathematically than another, use this arrow. This is a one way relationship. Example: The height of the Sears Tower is greater than the height of your school.

Less-Than
When one quantity (something that can be measured) is smaller than another, use this arrow. This is a one way relationship. Example: The amount of games won by the Bulls this year is less than the amount they won when Jordan was playing.

Equals
Use this arrow when two quantities (things that can be measured) are equal or the same. This is a two way relationship. For example, the amount of rain today equals the amount of rain yesterday.