1.1. Definitions of Statistical Terminology http://www.ck12.org
iii. VARIABLE 1:
iv. TYPE:
v. VARIABLE 2:
vi. TYPE:- In Physical Education class, the teacher has them count off by two’s to divide them into teams. Is this a
categorical or quantitative variable? - A school is studying their students’ test scores by grade. Explain how the characteristic “grade” could be
considered either a categorical or a numerical variable.
Review Answers
- (a) POPULATION: All candy bars made by the company
(b) UNITS: each individual candy bar
(c) VARIABLE: weight of the candy bars
(d) TYPE: Quantitative. It is continuous. The weights could be any weight reasonably close to the desired
weight due to variation in the number and weight of individual candies. Note: if the worker decided to
sort the candy bars as acceptable, too light, or too heavy, the same scenario could include a categorical
variable.
(a) POPULATION: All of Doris’ socks
(b) UNITS: each sock
(c) VARIABLE: color of socks
(d) TYPE: Categorical
(a) POPULATION: All diabetes sufferers
(b) UNITS: each individual diabetes patient
(c) VARIABLE 1: change in sugar level (+or−)
(d) TYPE: Quantitative, continuous
(e) VARIABLE 2: gender
(f) TYPE: Categorical - An argument could be made that by definition, it could be a discrete quantitative variable, but this is really
a categorical variable. Students are either on one team or another. The use of the digits “1” and “2” to put
the students in groups has no significant numerical meaning. The teacher could have just as easily had the
students say "blue" and "red." - This variable could be easily described as categorical, as students are in one of the four classes (Freshman,
Sophomore, Junior, Senior), but it could also be appropriate to think of those classes as grades 9−12. The
numbers do signify order and therefore could be considered to have numerical significance. If so, it would be
a discrete numerical variable.
Further Reading
- onlinestatbook.com/
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gal%C3%A1pagos_tortoise