Question

State whether the data described below are discrete or continuous, and explain why. The temperatures in degrees Fahrenheit) of pizzas fresh from the oven Choose the correct answer below. A. The data are continuous because the data can take on any value in an interval. B. The data are discrete because the data can only take on specific values. C. The data are continuous because the data can only take on specific values. D. The data are discrete because the data can take on any value in an interval.

Answer 1

Answer: A. The data are continuous because the data can take on any value in an interval.

For example, let's say the interval is 100 degrees to 250 degrees. A temperature of 200.728 degrees is possible. We can have any decimal value in this interval and have it make sense.

Contrast it with a discrete variable of "number of people who drive to work" (just as an example), and something like 200.728 people does not make sense.