A variable that can take a finite number of values is called what?

• A. Continuous
• B. Binary
• C. Discrete
• D. Qualitative

Answer: (C)

This question asks how we classify a variable by how many values it can take. A discrete variable takes a finite (or countable) set of distinct values, as opposed to a continuous variable that can assume any value within an interval. Because the variable has a finite number of possible outcomes, discrete is the best label. A binary variable is just a specific case of discrete with exactly two values, but the general concept here is discrete. Qualitative data are non-numeric categories, not counts, and continuous data are not restricted to a finite set of values.