VARIABLES

AND THEIR MEASUREMENT

Prepared by
MARIA T. MAMBA, Ph.D.
Faculty, College of Arts and Sciences
Two kinds/major types of variables:
Qualitative, or Attribute, or Categorical,
Variable: A variable that categorizes or
describes an element of a population.

Examples: sex, marital status, and eye color

Note: Arithmetic operations, such as addition

and averaging, are not meaningful for data
resulting from a qualitative variable.
Quantitative, or Numerical, or Continuous
Variable: A variable that quantifies an
element of a population.

Examples: height, weight, number of siblings

Note: Arithmetic operations such as addition

and averaging, are meaningful for data
resulting from a quantitative variable.
Example: Identify each of the following examples as attribute
(qualitative) or numerical (quantitative) variables.

1. The residence hall for each student in a statistics class.

(Attribute)
2. The amount of gasoline pumped by the next 10 customers
at the local Unimart. (Numerical)
3. The amount of radon in the basement of each of 25 homes
in a new development. (Numerical)
4. The color of the baseball cap worn by each of 20 students.
(Attribute)
5. The length of time to complete a mathematics homework
assignment. (Numerical)
6. The state in which each truck is registered when stopped
and inspected at a weigh station. (Attribute)
Qualitative and quantitative variables may be further
subdivided:

Nominal
Qualitative
Ordinal
Variable
Discrete
Quantitative
Continuous
Nominal Variable: A qualitative variable that
categorizes (or describes, or names) an
element of a population.

Ordinal Variable: A qualitative variable that

incorporates an ordered position, or ranking.
Discrete Variable: A quantitative variable that
can assume a countable number of values.

A variable whose possible values are some or

all of the ordinary counting numbers like 0, 1,
2, 3, . . There is no decimal digit, only whole
numbers.

There is a gap between any two values.

Examples:
the numbers of children in family,
the numbers of car accident on the certain road
on different days, or
the numbers of students taking basics of statistics
course
Continuous Variable: A quantitative variable
that can assume an uncountable number of
values. Intuitively, a continuous variable can
assume any value along a line interval,
including every possible value between any
two values.

Examples:
length, weight, or temperature, time
Note:
1. In many cases, a discrete and continuous variable may
be distinguished by determining whether the variables
are related to a count or a measurement.
2. Discrete variables are usually associated with counting.
If the variable cannot be further subdivided, it is a clue
that you are probably dealing with a discrete variable.
3. Continuous variables are usually associated with
measurements. The values of discrete variables are
only limited by your ability to measure them.
Variables can be described according to the
scale on which they are defined. The scale
of the variable gives certain structure to
the variable and also defines the meaning
of the variable.
 4 Types of Measurement
Scales/Levels of Measurement
Scales for Qualitative Variables:

1. A nominal scale is an unordered set of

categories identified only by name. Nominal
measurements only permit you to determine
whether two individuals are the same or
different.

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 4 Types of Measurement
Scales/Levels of Measurement

Examples: marital status

ID number
region
zip code
religious affiliation

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2. An ordinal scale is an ordered set of
categories. Ordinal measurements tell you
the direction of difference between two
individuals.

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Examples:

-education (classified e.g. as low, high)

-"strength of opinion" on some proposal (classified
according to whether the individual favors the
proposal, is indifferent towards it, or opposes it)
-position at the end of race (first,second, etc.)
-attitude scores representing degree of agreement or
disagreement
-scores representing degree of satisfaction
-preference rating scores

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Scales for Quantitative Variables:

3. An interval scale is an ordered series of equal-sized

categories. Interval measurements identify the
direction and magnitude of a difference.

Variables whose data values are ranged in a real

interval and can be as large as from negative infinity
to positive infinity

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Variables have arbitrary zero points

Examples: temperature measured on the

Centigrade system
intelligence quotient

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4. A ratio scale is an interval scale where a
value of zero indicates none of the variable.
Ratio measurements identify the direction
and magnitude of differences and allow ratio
comparisons of measurements.

The highest level of measurement.

Has a true zero point which is meaningful

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Example: height of person
age in years
income in thousands of pesos

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