What do we call a variable that can take infinite possible values within a range, like height or time?

A variable that can take on an infinite number of possible values within a given range is characterized as a continuous variable. Continuous variables often represent measurements and can take any value at any point within an interval. For instance, height can be measured in various increments (e.g., 5.5 feet, 5.55 feet, or 5.555 feet), and time can also be measured with high precision (e.g., 10.2 seconds, 10.25 seconds).

By contrast, discrete variables have distinct and separate values, usually counted as whole numbers (e.g., the number of students in a class). Categorical variables represent distinct categories or groups (e.g., colors, types of animals), while ordinal variables have a meaningful order but the intervals between values may not be consistent (e.g., rankings). Understanding the nature of continuous variables is crucial in data analysis, as they allow for a wide range of statistical techniques and interpretations.