How to combine different types of variable?

[zhangshouwei309194]

When we proceed NMF analysis, the feature's data type have any requirements byond non-negative. I have some features，some features are consecutive variable, such as cell facor' value, some are discrete variable, such as gender, tumor response (PR, SD,PD). We can code number for discrete vairiable and combine them with conseceutive variable for proceeding NMF. In my opinion, we cannot mix them for analysis. Do you think so? Because they are differnt types of data. We cannot just code 1,2,3 for tumor response (PR, SD, PD) easily and mix them with a number of consecutive variable for analysis.