AP Statistics Flashcards: The Language of Variation: Variables
Written by AP Content Team, Verified for 2026 AP Exams, Last updated: May 2026
Review key ideas with interactive flashcards. This set includes 10 cards to help you master important concepts.
What is the key difference in the values taken by categorical versus quantitative variables?
Categorical variables take on group labels or names, while quantitative variables take on numerical values that can be measured or counted.
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What is the key difference in the values taken by categorical versus quantitative variables?
Categorical variables take on group labels or names, while quantitative variables take on numerical values that can be measured or counted.
What does it mean to 'identify variables in a set of data'?
It means to determine which characteristics are being measured or observed that change from one individual to another within the dataset.
What are the two primary types of variables?
The two primary types of variables are categorical and quantitative.
In a dataset about students, one column lists their zip code. Is zip code a categorical or quantitative variable?
Zip code is a categorical variable because it is a group label, even though it uses numbers.
Define a quantitative variable.
A quantitative variable is one that takes on numerical values for a measured or counted quantity.
A scientist measures the weight of several lab mice in grams. What type of variable is 'weight'?
'Weight' is a quantitative variable because it takes on numerical values from a measurement.
Define a categorical variable.
A categorical variable is one that takes on values that are category names or group labels.
A survey records the favorite color of 100 students. What type of variable is 'favorite color'?
'Favorite color' is a categorical variable because its values are category names (e.g., blue, green, red).
A teacher records the number of absences for each student in a semester. Classify this variable.
The number of absences is a quantitative variable because it is a counted numerical quantity.
What is a variable?
A variable is a characteristic that changes from one individual to another.