Discrete vs Continuous: Which statement correctly describes Discrete data?

• A. Discrete data come in whole numbers only.
• B. Discrete data can take any value including fractions.
• C. Discrete data are measured on a numeric scale.
• D. Discrete data are categorized with no numeric meaning.

Answer: (A)

Discrete data are counts that take whole-number values, because you can’t count part of an item. This means you end up with 0, 1, 2, and so on, but never 1.5 when counting things like people, cars, or occurrences. In contrast, continuous data can take any value within a range, including fractions, such as height, time, or temperature. The other statements mix in properties that don’t define discrete data—being on a numeric scale can apply to both types, and categorization with no numeric meaning describes qualitative data. So the best description is that discrete data come in whole numbers only.