Scribd
Upload
13 views1 page

Computer Applicat

Uploaded by

ECHO Chennai
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
13 views1 page

Computer Applicat

Uploaded by

ECHO Chennai
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

8 Chapter 1 Data Collection

(c) Number of days during the past week that a college student aged 21 years or older had at least
one drink is a quantitative variable because it is numeric, and operations such as addition and
subtraction provide meaningful results.

(d) Zip code is a qualitative variable because it categorizes a location. Notice that, even though they
are numeric, the addition or subtraction of zip codes does not provide meaningful results.

Now Work

On the basis of the result of Example 3(d), we conclude that a variable may be qualitative while
having values that are numeric. Just because the value of a value of a variable is numeric does not
mean that the variable is quantitative.

 Distinguish
between Discrete
and
We can Continuous
further classify quantitative variables into two types: discrete or continuous.

Definition A discrete variable is quantitative variable that has either a finite number of possible values or a
s countable number of possible values. The term countable means that the values result from
In Other Words
counting, such as 0, 1, 2, 3, and so on.
If you count to get the value
of a quantitative variable, it is
discrete. If you measure to
get the values of a

A continuous variable is a quantitative variable that has an infinite number of possible values that
quantitative variable, it is
continuous. When deciding
whether a variable is discrete
or continuous, ask yourself if
it is counted or measured.
are not comfortable.

Figure 2 illustrates the relationship among qualitative, quantitative, discrete and continuous
variables.
Figure 2
Qualitative Quantitative
variables variables

Discrete Continuous
variables variables

An example should help to clarify the definitions

EXAMPLE 4 Distinguishing between Discrete and


Continuous Variables
Problem: Determine whether the following quantitative variables are discrete or continuous.

(a) The number of heads obtained after flipping a coin five times
(b) The number of cars that arrive at a McDonald’s drive-through between 12:00 P.M. and 1:00 P.M.
(c) The distance a 2007 Toyota Prius can travel in city driving conditions with a full tank of gas.

Approach: A variable is discrete if its value results from counting. A variable is continuous if its
value is measured.

Solution

(a) The number of heads obtained by flipping a coin five times would be a discrete variable because
we would count the number of heads obtained. The possible values of the discrete variable are 0,
1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
(b) The number of cars that arrive at a McDonald’s drive-through between 12:00 P.M. and 1:00 P.M.
is discrete variable because its values would result from counting the

You might also like