30 Examples of Discrete and Continuous Variables

The discrete and continuous variables are two types of quantitative variables, that is, variables whose alternatives are expressed with numbers. Discrete variables are represented by integer numbers (for example: The number of traffic lights in a city can be 47, but not 47.3) and continuous variables, with real numbers (for example: The height of traffic lights in a city can be 10.51 m; 11.32m; etc.).

The variables are the characteristics of a population that are analyzed in statistics and can take different values, which allow us to observe how a property changes from one element to another.

The quantitative variables they acquire numerical values, because they represent quantities. However, the values ​​assumed by discrete variables are limited, because they are never between two others on a scale; while the values ​​that continuous variables take are unlimited, because they can be found between two others within an interval.

Characteristics of discrete variables

Characteristics of continuous variables

Examples of discrete variables

1. The age of the graduates of a career.
2. The number of pets that the inhabitants of a city have.
3. The number of animals in the different ecological reserves of a country.
4. The number of sales made by each employee in a store.
5. The number of touchdowns made by basketball players.
6. The number of loaves that are made each day in a bakery.
7. The amount of property owned by each citizen of a country.
8. The number of customers of a company that provides Internet service.
9. The number of garments that appear in a fashion show.
10. The number of awards an actor has.
11. The number of cell phones that people in a region have.
12. The number of ships in a port per day.
13. The number of apples a tree produces.
14. The number of leaves that can be crafted from each tree.
15. The number of senators who voted against a law.

Examples of continuous variables

1. The monetary value of the paintings in a museum.
2. The amount of salt people consume per day.
3. The width of the rivers in a forest.
4. The length of the avenues of a city.
5. The amount (in kilograms) of garbage that is recycled.
6. The size (in km²) of the different types of catamarans that exist.
7. Wind speed.
8. How long are the operas?
9. The temperature of the food.
10. The amount of electrical energy consumed by household appliances.
11. The amount (in kilograms) of bronze used to make monuments.
12. The weight of the silobags of a field.
13. Atmospheric pressure.
14. The amount of millimeters of water that fall with the rains.
15. The value of financial shares.

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