Data Types

Quantitative Data (Quantities)

Data that are the result of counting or measuring attributes of a population. (weight/height)

Qualitative Data (Qualities/Categorial)

The result of categorizing or describing attributes of a population.

Discrete Data

values as a result of counting (or are of a terminating list of values) Ex: Inventory Data -the count of items in stock at a warehouse.

Continuous Data

Data that can assume an infinite number of values over an interval, they are often obtained by measuring.

Ratio Data

data collected on a scale, where zero means the absence of the variable being measured. It can be arranged in order, differences can be measured, and there is a natural zero starting point which allows the use of ration comparison. ALWAYS QUANTITATIVE. (list of heights or weights measured)

Interval Data

data that can be arranged in order, and the differences between the data values can be measured. ALWAYS QUANTITATIVE. (Temperature)

Nominal Data

Data that consists of names, labels or categories (yes/no). Cannot be arranged in an ordering scheme. ALWAYS QUALITATIVE. (location of polar bears)

Ordinal Data

Data that can be arranged in some order, but differences between data values cannot be measured. GENERALLY QUALITATIVE. (Education levels or Customer Satisfaction ratings)