Which one of the following is not an example of discrete data?

• A. The number of books on a shelf
• B. The number of cars in a parking lot
• C. The height of students measured in $centimeters$
• D. The number of students in a classroom

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the difference between discrete and continuous data. Discrete data consists of countable values, often integers, such as the number of objects or people. Continuous data can take any value within a range and is often measured, such as height or weight.
2. Step 2: Analyze each option to determine if it is discrete or continuous. For example, 'The number of books on a shelf' is countable and can only be whole numbers, so it is discrete.
3. Step 3: Similarly, 'The number of cars in a parking lot' and 'The number of students in a classroom' are also countable and discrete because you cannot have fractional cars or students.
4. Step 4: Consider 'The height of students measured in centimeters.' Height is measured and can take any value within a range, including decimals, making it continuous data rather than discrete.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the height of students is not an example of discrete data, while the other options are examples of discrete data.