Final answer:
The minutes of testimony in the legal case are considered quantitative discrete data because they are counted in whole minutes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The minutes of testimony in the case of New York City vs. the tobacco companies would be considered quantitative discrete data. This is because testimony is typically measured in whole numbers of minutes, which are countable and therefore discrete. Discrete data can only take on certain values, usually integers, while continuous data can take on any value within a range and can be measured more precisely. This is because the minutes of testimony represent individual statements or accounts of witnesses or experts, which generally cannot be measured or quantified. Qualitative data is descriptive in nature and provides insights, opinions, or subjective information.
Examples of continuous data can include weights, distances, and times that are not restricted to integers, and can be measured to fractions or decimals. However, minutes of testimony are not considered continuous since they generally do not involve such precise measurement that includes fractions or decimals of a minute. In court cases, testimony is recorded by the minute, rather than by more precise units of time such as seconds or fractions thereof.