Different kinds of data — Data, 11–13 years
Data is not always a row of numbers. Knowing whether data describes a group, a number or a measurement helps you choose a sensible way to record and compare it.
What kind of data is it?
Some data names a category, such as red, blue or green. Some data counts things, such as three pets, while other data measures them, such as 1.6 metres. These kinds need different ways of recording and comparing them.
Why separate them?
The problem is that a calculation that suits numbers may make no sense for categories. You can count favourite colours, but you cannot sensibly add blue and green. Separating data types prevents tidy-looking results that answer the wrong question.
Classifying a lunch survey
A class records three answers: pasta, 2 portions and 450 grams. “Pasta” is a category, so it can be counted with other meal names. “2 portions” is a count, while “450 grams” is a measurement with a unit. Treating all three as plain numbers would lose their meaning.
Numbers are not always measurements
A common mistake is to assume that every number can be averaged or added. A football shirt numbered 10 does not mean the player is ten years old, and a postcode is not a distance. The number may be a label, not a quantity.
Forms and science records
Online forms ask for different kinds of data: a colour from a list, a number of siblings or a measured height. A scientist makes the same distinction when recording a species, a population count and a temperature. It helps the final table or graph keep each fact clear.
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