Which of the following describes discrete data?

• A. It is a countable set of distinct values
• B. It can take any value within a range
• C. It must be continuous
• D. It is always real-valued

Answer: (A)

Discrete data are values that come in separate, distinct options you can count. The possible values form a countable set, like 0, 1, 2, 3, and so on, with clear gaps between them. This means you can list each possible value and there aren’t fractional steps between options.

If data can take any value within a range, including fractions (like 2.5 or 3.14159), that’s continuous data. Saying it must be continuous just describes the opposite, and saying it is always real-valued isn’t the defining feature (the key idea is the countable, distinct values).