A continuous variable can take on any value in a given interval.
A variable is a symbol that acts in the propositions, formulas, functions and algorithms of statistics and mathematics and that has the peculiarity of being able to adopt different values .
According to their characteristics, it is possible to talk about different types of variables, such as quantitative variables , qualitative variables , independent variables , dependent variables and random variables . This time, we will focus on continuous variables.
What is a continuous variable
A continuous variable is one that can take on any value within an interval that is already predetermined. Between two of the values, there can always be another intermediate value , capable of being taken as a value by the continuous variable.
These particularities differentiate the continuous variable from the discrete variable , which can only acquire a value from a set of numbers. There are separations between successive values that can be observed: that is, they are not "filled" with other intermediate values.
A person can have one or two televisions, but never one and a half; However, if we talk about cups of sugar, between one cup and another there are a large number of intermediate values, which appear as we add grains.
When measuring a continuous variable, there is always a margin of error.
The importance of the measuring instrument
Continuous variables, in theory, cannot be measured with absolute accuracy : the value observed depends on the instrument used for measurement. Let's consider continuous variables based on a person's weight. It can weigh 78.5 kilograms , 78.54 kilograms or 78.546 kilograms according to the accuracy of the scale. The example reveals that, when working with continuous variables, we must accept the existence of a measurement error that we must try to minimize, since it implies a difference between the true value and the measured value.
It is important to highlight that there are always measurement errors , since this is something inherent to measuring instruments ; However, in each case there may be different causes. On the other hand, it is possible to anticipate some of them, and thus try to reduce their impact through procedures such as calibration and compensation.
Accuracy in measurement is something as relative as errors, since it depends largely on the intentions of the subject who carries it out: when we buy food in the market we are not interested in knowing if the weight indicated on the packages is exact, But we are satisfied that the manufacturers do not try to deceive us by giving us a considerably smaller amount.
Do all 1 kilogram bags of rice have the same amount of grains and weigh exactly the same? Well, it is possible to answer the first answer, since to do so it is enough to count the grains; However, the second entails the problem of measurement errors , since depending on the scale used we could say yes or no.
The limits of a continuous variable
When we work with continuous variables, we are especially interested in the limits, which we can call "minimum" and "maximum", and the margin of error, which must also be applied to know if we have reached these points. Having established this structure , it is possible to take advantage of this concept to carry out an endless number of jobs.
In video game programming, for example, the concept of a continuous variable can appear in various cases, such as the acceleration of characters or objects: it is always necessary to have a range of possible values , such as the minimum and maximum speed, among which many others appear, whose precision is determined according to the resources of the machine.
The greater the precision, which in this case could be linked to the number of decimals, the more fluid the graphical representation on the screen will be, since the adjustments made to place the objects will not be easily perceived by the players.