Question

If the following data files were stored as raster data, what data would be considered discrete and which would be continuous: rainfall, soil type, voting districts, temperature, elevation, and vegetation type? Justify each choice.

Answer 1

Rainfall: Continuous

Soil type: Discrete

Voting districts:Discrete

Temperature:Continuous

Elevation: Continuous

Vegetation type:Discrete

Explanation:

Discrete data is one that involves round, definite numbers that can be determined by just counting whereas continuous data is one that involves complex numbers that are usually measured across a specific time interval. In a nutshell, we can say that discrete data is one that is counted while continuous is one that is measured.

Rainfall: This will be considered as a continuous data because it can't be counted in a definite number but can only be measured over a long period of time.

Soil type: This is Discrete because it can be counted. We can count the number of soil types we have in different areas.

Voting districts: This is Discrete because we can count the number of districts we have at any given time.

Temperature: This is Continuous because temperature cannot be counted but measured by the use of a thermometer.

Elevation: This continuous because it can't be counted as a number but measured.

Vegetation type: This is Discrete as we can count the number of places that have a particular vegetation type.