Which term describes a variable that can take on only certain values (usually whole numbers)?

Which term describes a variable that can take on only certain values (usually whole numbers)?

• A. Discrete variable
• B. Dichotomous
• C. DFFit
• D. Direct effect

Answer: (A)

A discrete variable describes a variable that can take on only specific values, usually whole numbers, such as the count of students in a class or the number of defects in a batch. It cannot assume every real number between values, unlike a continuous variable (which can take any value within a range). A dichotomous variable is a special discrete case with only two possible values (like yes/no or 0/1). The other terms refer to concepts outside the idea of a measurement scale: DFFit is a regression diagnostic statistic, and direct effect describes a type of causal relationship. Therefore, the term that fits best is discrete variable.

A discrete variable describes a variable that can take on only specific values, usually whole numbers, such as the count of students in a class or the number of defects in a batch. It cannot assume every real number between values, unlike a continuous variable (which can take any value within a range). A dichotomous variable is a special discrete case with only two possible values (like yes/no or 0/1). The other terms refer to concepts outside the idea of a measurement scale: DFFit is a regression diagnostic statistic, and direct effect describes a type of causal relationship. Therefore, the term that fits best is discrete variable.