Which type of variables can be described as non-numeric and categorized into distinct groups?

Qualitative variables are indeed the correct choice as they are characterized by their nature of being non-numeric and typically categorized into distinct groups or categories. These variables represent attributes or qualities that cannot be measured with numbers but can be assessed based on characteristics, names, or labels. For example, a survey may ask about a person's favorite color (red, blue, green), which are distinct categories without inherent numeric values.

In contrast, quantitative variables represent measurable quantities and can be further divided into continuous (able to take any value within a range, such as height) and discrete (taking only specific values, like the number of students in a class). Both types of quantitative variables involve numbers and are not categorized based on groups or labels but rather on their numerical values. Therefore, qualitative variables stand out distinctly as they focus on categories rather than numerical measurement.