Discrete data is a type of quantitative data that includes non-divisible figures and statistics that can be counted and have a limited number of values. Discrete data can only take certain values and usually comes in the form of whole numbers or integers. Examples of discrete data include the number of employees in a department, the number of new customers signed on last quarter, and the number of items currently kept in stock. Discrete data is often represented using tally charts, bar charts, or pie charts.

In contrast, continuous data is data that can take any value and occurs in a continuous series. Continuous data is considered the complete opposite of discrete data. Examples of continuous data include height, weight, temperature, and length. Continuous data is best shown on a line graph as this type of graph can show how the data changes over a given period of time.

The primary difference between discrete and continuous data is that discrete data is a finite value that can be counted, whereas continuous data has an infinite number of possible values that can be measured. Discrete data has noticeable gaps between values, while continuous data occurs in a continuous series.