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TYPES OF VARIABLES
This unit introduces the concepts of types of variables. There are
basically two types of variables in statistics; Qualitative (think in terms
of quality of life) and Quantitative (if you quantify something you could
count it). Qualitative variables are then classified into nominal and
ordinal variables. Quantitative variable can be classified into discrete
and continuous variables. Once you know your variable is quantitative,
it helps to ask yourself if you have actually counted (then discrete) or
measured (then continuous), when you gather the values.

The diagram below is a mind map of what we shall focus on in this

section. Please note that though we have to know how to differentiate
between variables, questions in this section are set in application for m
as we shall see when we get to examples and exercises.

1.2 Qualitative Vs Quantitative variables

1.2.1 Qualitative Variables (Categorical Variable)

Also known as categorical variables, qualitative variables are variables with no natural sense
of ordering. They are therefore measured on a nominal scale. For instance, hair colour
(Black, Brown, Gray, Red, Yellow) is a qualitative variable, as is name (Adam, Becky,
Christina, Dave . . .). Qualitative variables can be coded to appear numeric but their
numbers are meaningless, as in male=1, female=2. Variables that are not qualitative are
known as quantitative variables.

Open Rubric
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1.2.2 Quantitative Variables

Quantitative variables are variables measured on a numeric scale. Height, weight, response
time, subjective rating of pain, temperature, and score on an exam are all examples of
quantitative variables. Quantitative variables are distinguished from categorical (sometimes
called qualitative) variables such as colour, religion, city of birth, sport in which there is no
ordering or measuring involved.

1.3 Nominal Vs Ordinal variables

1.3.1 Nominal Variables

A nominal variable has values which have no numerical value. As a result the order or
sequence of nominal variables is not prescribed. Examples of nominal variables are gender,
occupation.

1.3.2 Ordinal variables

An ordinal variable is similar to a categorical variable. The difference between the two is
that there is a clear ordering of the variables. For example, suppose you have a variable,
economic status, with three categories (low, medium and high). In addition to being able to
classify people into these three categories, you can order the categories as low, medium
and high.
Please note that the major difference between ordinal and nominal is that order is
considered to be important in ordinal variables than in nominal variables.
1.4 Discrete Vs Continuous variables
1.4.1 Discrete variables

Variables that can only take on a finite number of values are called "discrete variables." Or A
variable that takes values from a finite or countable set, such as the number of legs of an
animal. All qualitative variables are discrete. Some quantitative variables are discrete, such
as performance rated as 1,2,3,4, or 5, or temperature rounded to the nearest degree.

1.4.2 Continuous variables

A continuous variable is one for which, within the limits the variable ranges, any value is
possible. For example, the variable "Time to solve a mathematical problem" is continuous
since it could take 2 minutes, 2.13 minutes etc. to finish a problem.
I like telling my students to look at discrete variables as countable variables with gaps in
between say the number of students in a discussion class, and to look at continuous
variables as countable with decimal point like money R5.13, time, height e.t.c. Please note
that this is not a standard difference between the two but a personal option.

1.5 Interval Vs Ratio variables

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1.5.1 Interval variables

An interval variable is similar to an ordinal variable, except that the intervals between the
values of the interval variable are equally spaced. For example, suppose you have a variable
such as annual income that is measured in Rand, and we have three people who make
R10,000, R15,000 and R20,000. The second person makes R5,000 more than the first person
and R5,000 less than the third person, and the size of these intervals is the same. If there
were two other people who make R90,000 and R95,000, the size of that interval between
these two people is also the same (R5,000).

1.5.2 Ratio variables

A variable with the features of interval variable and, additionally, whose any two values
have meaningful ratio, making the operations of multiplication and division meaningful.

Now that we are familiar with the definitions, we can take example on how this unit is
examined. Please remember that we examine their applications to real life situations in most
cases.

Example 1

Which one of the following statements is incorrect?

(1) The number of students who attended both discussion classes in 2010 is a
discrete variable.

(2) Your marital status is a discrete variable.

(3) Whether one does poor, fair or good in an assignment is an ordinal variable.

(4) The amount of your student loan is a continuous variable.

(5) Your status as a full-time student is a nominal variable.

Solution

The number of students who attended both discussion classes in 2010 a discrete
variable (correct).
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1.Maritial status (married, not married, single or divorce) is a nominal variable.

(Incorrect).

2.Correct.

3.Correct.

4.Correct.

Example 2
The owner of fancy foods chooses a random sample of six people who are at his shop. He
asks them a few questions that are summarised as follows:
Sex Age Method of payment Satisfaction of service
1= Male 1= under 20 1= cash rating
2= Female 2 = 20 to 40 2= credit card 1= bad
3= 41 to 60 3= private account 2= average
4= over 60 3= good
4= very good
2 2 1 3
1 2 1 4
1 1 2 1
2 4 3 3
1 3 3 2
1 3 2 3

Consider the following statements:

A: Method of payment is a quantitative variable.
B: The youngest person is male, paid with a credit card and found the service bad.
C: 50% of the people said the service was good.
D: 50% of the males were under 20.
E: The oldest person interviewed said the service was very good.
The correct statements(s) is/are
(1) Only B
(2) C and D
(3) B and C
(4) C,D and E
(5) A and C
Option (1). The youngest person is male, paid with a credit card and found the service bad.

Sex Age Method of payment Satisfaction of service rating

1= Male 1= under 20 2= credit card 1= bad
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SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISE – TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE

Question 1
Which one of the following statements is incorrect?
(1) Measures for a sample are called statistics while measures for a population are
called parameters.
(2) Your marital status is an ordinal variable.
(3) Whether one does poor, fair or good in an assignment is an ordinal variable.
(4) The amount of your student loan is a continuous variable.
(5) The starting salary of MBA graduates is a quantitative variable.

Question 2
Which of the following variables is a qualitative variable?
(1) The most frequent use of your microwave oven (reheating, defrosting, warming,
others).
(2) The number of consumers who refuse to answer a telephone survey.
(3) The number of mice used in a maize experiment.
(4) The winning time for a horse running in a Derby.
(5) Weight of a new-born baby.
Question 3
Which one of the following is a discrete variable?
(1) Writing skills of new employees, classified as bad, fair, good and excellent.
(2) A student’s yes/no response to a question in a campus newspaper.
(3) The combined weight of parcels sent from a certain post office during a week.
(4) The starting salary of a medical doctor.
(5) The number of students who attended a discussion class.

Question 4
Which of the following statements is incorrect?
(1) The number of registered arms dealers in a certain province is a discrete variable.
(2) Your choice of car brand is a nominal variable.
(3) The average mark of statistics students in the exam is a qualitative variable.
(4) The number of building permits for new single-family housing units is a discrete variable.
(5) The opinion of TV viewers on a new program (bad, indifferent, good) is an ordinal
variable.
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SOLUTIONS TO SELF ASSESSMENT EXERCISES

Question 1
Alternative 2. Your marital status is a nominal variable.

Question 2
Alternative 1. The most frequent use of your microwave oven (reheating, defrosting,
warming, others) is a qualitative variable.

Question 3
Alternative 5. The number of students who attended a discussion class is a discrete random
variable.

Question 4
Alternative 3. The average mark of statistics students in the exam is a quantitative variable.