A variable counted in whole numbers with no intermediates is called what?

A variable counted in whole numbers with no intermediates is called what?

• A. Discrete Variable
• B. Continuous Variable
• C. Categorical
• D. Nominal

Answer: (A)

The main idea is distinguishing between counting values versus measuring along a continuous scale. A variable that is counted in whole numbers with no intermediate values can only take discrete, separate values like 0, 1, 2, and so on. There are gaps between successive values, because you can’t have 2.5 people or 3.7 items when you’re counting. That property defines a discrete variable. In contrast, a continuous variable can take any value within a range, including fractions, because measurements can be made with increasing precision. Categorical data and nominal data refer to labels rather than numeric scales, so they describe the type of data rather than whether values are discrete or continuous. Therefore, the term that fits a countable, whole-number variable is discrete.

The main idea is distinguishing between counting values versus measuring along a continuous scale. A variable that is counted in whole numbers with no intermediate values can only take discrete, separate values like 0, 1, 2, and so on. There are gaps between successive values, because you can’t have 2.5 people or 3.7 items when you’re counting. That property defines a discrete variable. In contrast, a continuous variable can take any value within a range, including fractions, because measurements can be made with increasing precision. Categorical data and nominal data refer to labels rather than numeric scales, so they describe the type of data rather than whether values are discrete or continuous. Therefore, the term that fits a countable, whole-number variable is discrete.