A random variable is ____ if it is limited to assuming only specific integer values as a result of counting the outcome of an experiment.

A random variable is ____ if it is limited to assuming only specific integer values as a result of counting the outcome of an experiment.

• A. Continuous random variable
• B. Discrete random variable
• C. Bernoulli variable
• D. Poisson variable

Answer: (B)

Counting the outcomes of an experiment yields a random variable that can only take specific integer values, like 0, 1, 2, and so on. This is what defines a discrete random variable: its possible values are countable and typically integers. In contrast, a continuous random variable can take any value within an interval, including fractions, because it comes from measuring something with infinite precision. A Bernoulli variable is a simple discrete case with two possible values, but the overall idea described is the discreteness that results from counting. A Poisson variable is also a discrete count (the number of events in a fixed interval), but the key point is that the variable is restricted to integer counts.

Counting the outcomes of an experiment yields a random variable that can only take specific integer values, like 0, 1, 2, and so on. This is what defines a discrete random variable: its possible values are countable and typically integers. In contrast, a continuous random variable can take any value within an interval, including fractions, because it comes from measuring something with infinite precision. A Bernoulli variable is a simple discrete case with two possible values, but the overall idea described is the discreteness that results from counting. A Poisson variable is also a discrete count (the number of events in a fixed interval), but the key point is that the variable is restricted to integer counts.