Discrete & Continuous Data (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Maths)
Revision Note
Written by: Naomi C
Reviewed by: Dan Finlay
Discrete & Continuous Data
What is discrete and continuous data?
Numerical data (quantitative data) can be either continuous or discrete
Continuous data can take any numerical value on a scale
e.g. height, length, weight, mass
For continuous data the measurements can become more and more accurate the more you 'zoom in'
Discrete data can only take particular numerical values on a scale
Often these are integers
e.g. numbers of people or objects
But they don't have to be integers
e.g. shoe sizes, which include 'half sizes'
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Do you need some sort of scale to measure it? If so, it's likely to be continuous data.
Worked Example
State whether the data in the following examples is discrete or continuous.
(a) The weights of dogs participating in a dog show.
Weight can take any value, so it is continuous
Continuous
(b) The lengths of leaves taken from a particular tree.
Length can take any value, so it is continuous
Continuous
(c) The number of computers owned by each household in a particular city.
Only integer (i.e. whole number) values are possible, so it is discrete
Discrete
(d) The time taken, to the nearest hour, to complete a task by each person out of a group of people.
Although this is time, it wants it 'to the nearest hour', not measured continuously
Therefore only certain values are possible, so it is discrete
Discrete
(e) The time taken to swim 100 metres by each member of a swimming club.
Here there are no constraints placed on the measurement of time, therefore it could take any value, so is continuous
Continuous
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