Continuous Variable:

A continuous variable is a numerical variable that can take any value within a certain range. It can be measured on a continuous scale. The range of values can be divided into smaller and smaller units, and the precision of the measurement can be increased indefinitely. Examples of continuous variables include height, weight, time, temperature, and profit.

Distribution of Profits of a Blue-Chip Company:

The distribution of profits of a blue-chip company is a continuous variable. It can take any value within a certain range, which could be positive, negative, or zero. The profits can be measured on a continuous scale, such as dollars, euros, or yen. The range of profits can be divided into smaller and smaller units, such as cents or pence, and the precision of the measurement can be increased indefinitely.

Why Not Discrete Variable:

A discrete variable is a numerical variable that can take only a finite number of values or a countable number of values. It cannot be measured on a continuous scale. Examples of discrete variables include the number of employees, the number of customers, and the number of products sold. The profits of a blue-chip company cannot be a discrete variable because it can take any value within a certain range, and the range is not countable.

Why Not Attributes:

An attribute is a non-numerical variable that describes a characteristic of an object or a person. Examples of attributes include the color of a car, the gender of a person, and the brand of a product. The profits of a blue-chip company cannot be an attribute because it is a numerical variable, and it describes the financial performance of the company, not a characteristic of the company.

Conclusion:

Therefore, the correct answer is option 'B', which is a continuous variable.

(b)