How do I convert a variable to numeric?

How do I convert a variable to numeric?

There are several ways that you can change a string variable into a numeric variable. One way is to use the number function with the compute command. To do this, you need to create a new variable using the compute command.

How do I recode variables in Stata?

To recode variables in Stata, use the recode command. To use recode , you must provide a list of variables to be recoded and the rules associated with that change….In the example above:

1. The values of 1 and 2 are recoded as 1 .
2. The values of 3 , 4 , 5 are recoded as 2 . Note:
3. The values of 6 and 7 are recoded as 3 .

Can we code numeric and string variables?

If you have already recorded your categorical variables as strings, you can easily convert them to a labelled, numerically coded variable using the Automatic Recode procedure. This procedure assigns each unique category a numeric code, then saves the converted values as a new variable.

How do I reverse a variable in Stata?

You will often need to recode values in your data for a number of reasons. For example, you may need to reverse-score items negatively-worded items on a measure. To do this via point and click, Go to Data -> Create or Change Data -> Other Variable Transformation Commands -> Recode Categorical Variable.

How can I convert string variables to numeric variables in Stata?

Stata FAQ: How can I convert string variables to numeric variables in Stata? The easiest way to convert string variables to numeric form is to use the encode command. If the variable is actually a numeric value that just happens to be stored as a string, see our FAQ: How can I quickly convert many string variables to numeric variables?

What are categorical variables and factor variables in Stata?

Stata handles categorical variables as factor variables; see[U] 11.4.3 Factor variables. Categorical variables refer to the variables in your data that take on categorical values, variables such as sex, group, and region. Factor variables refer to Stata’s treatment of categorical variables. Factor variables create indicator variables for

When to change a string variable to a categorical variable?

However, anticipating that this may be problematic, Stata offers various commands to change string variables into categorical variables and vice versa. The first case most often occurs when importing data from another source. Sometimes, for whatever reason, Stata incorrectly calls a categorical variable a string variable.

Can a Stata file be defined as a string?

| Stata FAQ. There may be times that you receive a file that has many (or all) of the variables defined as strings, that is, character variables. The variables may contain numeric values, but if they are defined as type string, there are very few things you can do to analyze the data.