Final answer:
Alfred's observation that his son has grown 3 inches is an example of a quantitative continuous change. It correlates with the concept of continuous development in biology, representing a measurable and gradual change over time.
Step-by-step explanation:
Alfred notices that his son, James, has grown another 3 inches this year. This is an example of a quantitative continuous change. Continuous development views development as a cumulative process, which is gradual, such as the steady increase in a child's height year by year.
Duration (amount of time) is considered quantitative continuous data because it can be measured and can take on any value within an interval. The growth of a child in inches is similar, as it can be measured to any level of precision needed. It is different from quantitative discrete data, which can only take on specific values.
On the other hand, discontinuous development theorizes that children grow in unique stages occurring at specific times. Furthermore, in contrast to these concepts, qualitative data pertains to non-numerical descriptions that cannot be measured.