Both discrete and continuous variables are used to represent and measure things, but they differ in the way they do so:
Discrete variables:
- Represent countable values
- Have distinct, separate categories with no values in between
- Think of them as individual units you can count
- Examples: Number of people in a room, number of correct answers on a test, grades (A, B, C, etc.), size categories (S, M, L), number of days in a month.
Continuous variables:
- Represent measurable values that can take on an infinite number of values within a range
- Don't have distinct categories and can be divided further and further
- Think of them as measurements along a continuous scale
- Examples: Height, weight, temperature, time, distance, speed, volume.
Here's a table to summarize the key differences:
| Feature | Discrete variable | Continuous variable |
|---|---|---|
| Type of values | Countable | Measurable |
| Categories | Distinct, no values in between | No distinct categories, can be divided further |
| Example | Number of apples | Weight of an apple |
Additional points to consider:
- Discrete variables can sometimes be grouped into ranges: For example, instead of counting individual people, you might group them into age ranges (0-10, 11-20, etc.). However, the underlying nature of the variable remains discrete.
- Continuous variables can be converted to discrete by grouping: For example, you could create discrete categories for temperature (e.g., below freezing, warm, hot). However, this loses information about the actual measurement.
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