The data were collected from a statistics class. The column head gives the variable, and each of the rows represents a student in the class. Complete parts a and b.
| Male | Age | Eye Colour | Shoe Size | Height (metres) | Weight (kilograms) | Number of Siblings | Credits This Session | Handedness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30 | Brown | 9.5 | 1.63 | 90 | 2 | 8 | Left |
| 0 | 31 | Brown | 11 | 1.63 | 60 | 1 | 8 | Right |
| 1 | 29 | Hazel | 7 | 1.92 | 66 | 1 | 7.5 | Left |
| 0 | 31 | Blue | 6.5 | 1.94 | 89 | 4 | 7.5 | Right |
b. Is the variable Eye Colour numerical or categorical? Explain.
A. The variable is numerical because the values are numbers.
B. The variable is categorical despite the values being numbers.
C. The variable is numerical despite the values being categories.
D. The variable is categorical because the values are categories.
Answer (2)
The 'Eye Colour' variable contains values like Brown, Hazel, and Blue.
These values represent distinct categories, not numerical measurements.
Therefore, 'Eye Colour' is a categorical variable.
The correct answer is: D .
Explanation
Understand the problem and provided data We are given a table of data collected from a statistics class. The table includes variables such as Male, Age, Eye Colour, Shoe Size, Height (metres), Weight (kilograms), Number of Siblings, Credits This Session, and Handedness. The question asks whether the variable 'Eye Colour' is numerical or categorical.
Analyze the 'Eye Colour' column To determine whether 'Eye Colour' is numerical or categorical, we need to look at the values in the 'Eye Colour' column. The values are Brown, Brown, Hazel, and Blue. These values represent distinct categories or groups.
Determine the variable type and select the correct answer Since the values in the 'Eye Colour' column represent categories (Brown, Hazel, Blue), the variable 'Eye Colour' is a categorical variable. Therefore, the correct answer is: D. The variable is categorical because the values are categories.
Examples
In data analysis, understanding whether a variable is numerical or categorical is crucial for choosing the right statistical methods. For example, if you were analyzing customer demographics, 'Eye Colour' would be a categorical variable, and you might use it to group customers and compare their purchasing behavior. On the other hand, 'Age' would be a numerical variable, which you could use to calculate averages or create scatter plots to see if there's a relationship between age and spending.
The variable 'Eye Colour' is categorical because it represents distinct categories (Brown, Hazel, Blue) and not numerical measurements. Therefore, the correct answer is D. The variable is categorical because the values are categories.
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