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Which of the following is a discrete random variable?

a. the average amount of electricity consumed

b. the number of patients in a hospital

c. the amount of paint used in repainting a building

d. the average weight of female athletes

User Dimakin
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1 Answer

3 votes

Answer:

b. the number of patients in a hospital

Explanation:

You want to identify the discrete random variable from the list of descriptions of variables.

Discrete random variable

A variable is discrete if it takes on only specific values. This will be the case for anything that is counted using counting numbers. The number of patients in a hospital is a discrete random variable.

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Additional comment

As a rule, we have trouble dealing with measurements of values that are continuously variable. The reported measurement is always a discrete value, usually rounded to some practical precision. In that sense, any one of the suggested answers could arguably be a discrete random variable.

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User Deanmcpherson
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