What defines categorical variables in SAS?

Categorical variables in SAS are defined by their ability to represent discrete groups or categories. These variables categorize data into distinct groups that do not have a meaningful numeric relationship or order. For example, variables like 'gender', 'race', or 'payment type' are considered categorical because they group data into defined categories like 'male' or 'female', or 'credit', 'debit', 'cash', etc.

This characteristic of categorical variables allows for meaningful comparisons within these categories and enables specific statistical analyses, such as chi-square tests or logistic regression, where grouping is essential. The representation of data in this way supports analysis and interpretation by allowing researchers to observe patterns or differences across the specified categories.

The other options do not accurately define categorical variables: while some numeric variables can represent categories (in certain situations, like using numbers to represent groups), they are not exclusively numeric nor do they always represent a range of values. Additionally, categorical variables are indeed used in various statistical procedures, contrary to the suggestion that they are not.