What term describes data that can take on any value within a given range?

The term that describes data that can take on any value within a given range is continuous data. Continuous data represents measurements and can encompass an infinite number of values within a specified interval. For example, variables such as height, weight, temperature, and time can all be measured to varying degrees, allowing for a broad spectrum of potential outcomes. This characteristic is what distinguishes continuous data from other types, such as discrete data, which can only take specific, separate values, often associated with counts or finite sets.

In contrast to continuous data, categorical data represents distinct groups or categories without any inherent numerical value or order, while dummy data typically refers to binary variables used in statistical modeling. Understanding the nature of continuous data is critical in statistics as it influences how data can be analyzed, the types of graphs that can be utilized, and the applications of various statistical methods.