# Numeric variables

## Create a numeric variable selection

Numeric variables are items which contain numeric data such as Cost.

Numeric variables can be identified in the **System** explorer because they have a 123 icon to the left of the variable name.

You can make a selection on a numeric variable within FastStats as follows:

Create a new selection either by:

- Clicking on the **Selection** icon in the **Toolbox**
- Dragging the Selection tool from the Toolbox onto the FastStats workspace
- Dragging the **Numeric** or **Currency** variable to use in the selection directly from the System explorer onto the FastStats workspace

If you used the first or second method above to create a new selection you will have a blank selection window similar to the one below.

If necessary, set the **Resolve Table**. See [Change the counting table](<https://help.apteco.com/en/faststats/analysis/selections/change-counting-table/index.md>).

With the first or second methods:

- Drag and drop the **Value** variable to use e.g. **Cost** onto the new selection window.
- Type in the ranges you want to include in the selection using the freeform text box . Operators can be used such as `<`, `<=`, `=`, `>=`, `>` and ranges can be specified such as `<10 - >= 250`. Multiple ranges can be specified on multiple lines.

Alternatively:

1. Select the grid button to change the display from a freeform text box to a ranges grid, or use the **Banding** button to use the [Banding Tool](<https://help.apteco.com/en/faststats/analysis/selections/numeric-banding/index.md>) to generate ranges automatically
2. Click the Build button, at the top of the window, to count the selected records; the count is displayed in the bottom right-hand corner of the selection window

Instead of manually entering the selection criteria on separate lines, you can use the [Banding Tool](<https://help.apteco.com/en/faststats/analysis/selections/numeric-banding/index.md>) to assist in setting up ranges.

For FastStats to help you create ranges:

1. Click the **Banding** button to display the [Banding Tool](<https://help.apteco.com/en/faststats/analysis/selections/numeric-banding/index.md>) as shown below
2. Choose the [Type of Banding](<https://help.apteco.com/en/faststats/analysis/selections/numeric-banding/basic-options/index.md>)(e.g. Equal Ranges or Geometric Ranges)

   You can specify how many bands you want in the range by entering a value in the [Number of bands](<https://help.apteco.com/en/faststats/analysis/selections/numeric-banding/basic-options/#number-of-bands>) box (10 in the example above) or, alternatively, you can specify the [Size of bands](<https://help.apteco.com/en/faststats/analysis/selections/numeric-banding/basic-options/#size-of-bands>).

   You can specify the start and end of the range on the [Advanced Options](<https://help.apteco.com/en/faststats/analysis/selections/numeric-banding/advanced-options/index.md>) tab.
3. Click the **Finish** button when complete.