Statistics Dictionary
To see a definition, select a term from the dropdown text box below. The statistics
dictionary will display the definition, plus links to related web pages.
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Variable
In statistics, a variable has two defining characteristics:
- A variable is an attribute that describes a person, place, thing, or idea.
- The value of the variable can "vary" from one entity to another.
For example,
suppose we let the variable x represent the color of a person's hair. The
variable x could have the value of "blond" for one person, and "brunette"
for another.
When the value of a
variable is the outcome of a
statistical experiment
, that variable is a random variable.
