Statistics Dictionary
To see a definition, select a term from the dropdown text box below. The statistics
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Discrete Variable
If a variable can take on
any value between its minimum value and its maximum value,
it is called a continuous variable;
otherwise, it is called a discrete variable.
Some examples will clarify the difference between discrete and continuous
variables.
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Suppose the fire department mandates that all fire fighters must weigh between
150 and 250 pounds. The weight of a fire fighter would be an example of a
continuous variable; since a fire fighter's weight could take on any value
between 150 and 250 pounds.
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Suppose we flip a coin and count the number of heads. The number of heads could
be any integer value between 0 and plus infinity. However, it could not be any
number between 0 and plus infinity. We could not, for example, get 2.5 heads.
Therefore, the number of heads must be a discrete variable.