Basic Concepts
Types of Data
Understanding Data
Data is the foundation of statistics! It comes in many forms, and knowing the types helps us decide how to analyze and present it.
Qualitative vs. Quantitative
- Qualitative data describes qualities or categories—like favorite colors or types of pets.
- Quantitative data represents numbers or amounts—like how many apples you have or your height in centimeters.
Discrete and Continuous Data
- Discrete data can be counted in whole numbers, such as the number of siblings you have.
- Continuous data can take any value within a range, like temperature or the time it takes to run a race.
Why Data Types Matter
Knowing the type of data helps you choose the right charts, statistical tests, and summaries.
Real-World Uses
Scientists use quantitative data to measure temperatures, while marketers analyze qualitative data about customer preferences.
Examples
Survey results on students' favorite ice cream flavors are qualitative data.
The number of pages in a book is discrete quantitative data.
In a Nutshell
Data can be sorted into types like qualitative, quantitative, discrete, and continuous.