In medical research, cross-sectional studies differ from case-control studies in that they aim to provide data on the entire population under study, whereas case-control studies typically include only individuals with a specific characteristic, with a sample, often a tiny minority, of the rest of the population.
(redirected from Variable Expense) Also found in: Dictionary, Wikipedia. A cost that is directly proportional to the volume of output produced. When production is zero, the variable cost is equal to zero. A cost to a person or business that varies over time according to a number of factors.
Variable costs are costs that change as the output of the company changes. For example, a company that manufactures homes will have higher costs for lumber as the number of homes that are built increases. Because the cost increases over the number of homes produced, this is a variable cost.