difference between discrete and

continuous variable

discrete variables are those which only take values as whole number.Such variables cannot take fraction values. In this sense, they are discontinuous. In other words, they jump from one whole value to another. For example, number of persons in a family, number of students in a class, etc. are discrete variables.

Continuous variables can take both whole number values as well as fraction values.For example, age, height, weight, etc. are continuous variables. Consider, weight of a person. It can take values as 2 kg, 2.5 kg, 2.35 kg and so on. As against discrete variables, the values of continuous variables do not increase in jumps rather they increase continuously.