Final answer:
In statistics, a variable can be classified as categorical or continuous, among other types. 'Duration' is an example of a quantitative continuous variable, while 'number of times per week' is a quantitative discrete variable.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Variable Types in Statistics
In the discipline of statistics, a variable represents a characteristic or measurement that varies among individuals or over time. Variables can be classified into different types based on the nature of their values: categorical, ordinal, continuous, and others. Categorical variables place individuals or items into distinct categories and are qualitative in nature. A variable like political party affiliation would be an example of a categorical variable, as it categorizes individuals into groups such as Republican, Democrat, or Independent without any inherent order.
On the other hand, continuous variables are quantitative and can take on an infinite number of values within a given range. Examples of continuous variables include height, weight, and time. These types of variables are representative of measurements that can be expressed on a continuous scale.
Referring to the questions mentioned, for example, 'duration' and 'number of times per week' are considered:
Duration is a quantitative continuous variable as it can represent a range of values and measure time.
Number of times per week is a quantitative discrete variable as it involves counting occurrences, which are distinct and separate, over a period of time.
Identifying the correct type of variable is crucial in statistical analysis, as it dictates the appropriate methods for summarizing and analyzing the data.