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1.2 The Language of Variation: Variables

Part of Exploring One-Variable Data in AP® Statistics. Read the opening section, then create a free account for the full interactive lesson, practice, and progress tracking.

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Types of Variables

Every variable belongs to one of two categories:

Categorical variable

  • Values are labels or names
  • Examples: gender, eye color, country of birth, blood type
  • We summarize with counts and percentages

Quantitative variable

  • Values are numbers where arithmetic makes sense
  • Examples: weight (kg{\text{kg}}), temperature (°C{°C}), pulse rate (beats/min)

The distinction matters because different statistical methods apply to each type.

In this unit

10 lessons

  1. 1.1Introducing Statistics: What Can We Learn from Data?Preview lesson
  2. 1.2The Language of Variation: VariablesThis lesson
  3. 1.3Representing a Categorical Variable with TablesPreview lesson
  4. 1.4Representing a Categorical Variable with GraphsPreview lesson
  5. 1.5Representing a Quantitative Variable with GraphsPreview lesson
  6. 1.6Describing the Distribution of a Quantitative VariablePreview lesson
  7. 1.7Summary Statistics for a Quantitative VariablePreview lesson
  8. 1.8Graphical Representations of Summary StatisticsPreview lesson
  9. 1.9Comparing Distributions of a Quantitative VariablePreview lesson
  10. 1.10The Normal DistributionPreview lesson

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