The standard defines the concept of the characteristic and other concepts relating to characteristics. Among these are concepts of kinds of characteristics (e.g. quantitative characteristic, qualitative characteristic), concepts relating to specified values of characteristics (e.g. limiting value, limiting deviation, tolerance), and concepts relating to determined values of characteristics (e.g. actual value). In the annex concepts relating to stepped limiting values are dealt with e.g. limiting quantile stepped limiting value, actual quantile.