Which command summarizes numeric variables within a specified data set?

The command that summarizes numeric variables within a specified data set is PROC MEANS. This procedure is specifically designed to compute descriptive statistics for numeric variables, such as mean, standard deviation, minimum, maximum, and count, providing a concise summary of the data.

PROC MEANS can also be customized to produce reports for specific groups within the data by using the CLASS statement, making it a versatile tool for data summarization. It efficiently handles missing values and can utilize various options to alter how the results are displayed, allowing users to tailor the output to their specific needs.

While PROC SUMMARY is another valid option that serves a similar purpose, it is used interchangeably with PROC MEANS in many scenarios. However, PROC SUMMARY is often utilized when you need to create output data sets instead of simply displaying statistics. The other choices like PROC ANALYZE and PROC REPORT, while valuable for their respective functions (data analysis and detailed reporting), do not specialize in summarizing numeric variables within a data set in the way that PROC MEANS does.