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3.1.1.1 Classification of Variables

Figure 3.1.1 Types of variables

A. Based on unit of measurement
From the viewpoint of unit of measurement there are two ways
of categorising variables, they are:

1. Quantitative Variables
Quantitative variables are those variables that are measured on
a numeric or quantitative scale. A quantitative variable represents
thus a measure and is numerical. These variables are made up of
categories that can be ordered in magnitude, that is, they can exist ◆ Measured on
in greater or lesser quantities. In short quantitative variables are numeric scale
those variables in which the measurements vary in magnitude
from trial to trial i.e. some order or ranking can be applied to the
levels. Example: income, age, height, weight, population of a
country, speed of a car etc.

Quantitative variables can again be classified into continuous
variables and discrete variables.

a. Discrete Variables
A discrete variable is one that involves a countable number of
items. The number of children in a family, the number of women in
a particular State, and the number of inhabitants in each town are
some of the examples of discrete variables. So the discrete variable ◆ Counts or whole
consists of whole numbers only. In short, discrete variables are numbers
the variables, the values of which are countable and have a finite
number of possibilities. In other words, discrete variables can only
take a certain individual value.

SGOU - SLM - MCom Research Methodology 85