Question 633935: Classify the following variable as nominal, ordinal, discrete, or continuous and state why it is such a variable:
number of US Senators
This is what I think is the answer but please claraify if I am correct, thank you.
Discrete: the values of the variable may be found by counting and can be assigned numbers such as the number of U.S. Senators.
Discrete is a quantitative variable because it is countable and can be assigned values, such as numbers or height and weight or number for each U.S. senators
Answer by solver91311(24713)   (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The number of US Senators in the Senate chamber at any given time would be a discrete variable -- you can count them, and you can't have intermediate values. For example you would never have a data point that was, say, 7.5, since half a senator in the chamber is a ludicrous idea.
Height and weight are continuous variables; they can take on ANY value in the possible range of values. Intellect is another thing altogether; I think they are all uniformly stupid, but that's just me.
On the other hand, if you consider height relative to the other senators, then you have an ordinal variable. That means you have a shortest senator and a tallest senator and everyone else ranks somewhere in between. For a given senator, their ranking in that ordered set is the value of the ordinal variable. You can't tell the actual height of anyone, all you can do is be assured that the senator with ordinal variable value 6 is shorter (presuming ascending ranking) than value 25.
Nominal variables are categorical variables. You might categorize the senators demographically and/or politically, Male, Female, White, African-American, Asian, under 45 years old, Democrat, Republican, Independent, etc. You could also use a nominal variable that takes on the value of the senator's home state.
John
My calculator said it, I believe it, that settles it
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