What are the Two Main Types of Data ?

Hey guys, it’s Chip! Today, let’s talk about the two main types of data: numeric and categorical. 🤓

Numeric data is data that can be measured on a continuous scale and can be expressed as numbers. Examples of numeric data include age, weight, height, and temperature. 🔢

For example, if you are trying to find the average height of a group of people, you would use numeric data. You would measure each person’s height and use those numbers to calculate the average height. 📏

On the other hand, categorical data is data that can be divided into categories or groups. Categorical data is a variable that can take on only a specific set of values. Examples of categorical data include name, ethnicity, gender, and type of car. 📝

For example, if you are trying to find out how many people in a group are male or female, you would use categorical data. You would ask each person their gender and divide them into two categories – male or female. 👤

Categorical data can be further divided into nominal data and ordinal data, which we talked about in a previous post. Nominal data represents discrete units where the order of the values does not matter, while ordinal data has an explicit ordering. 📊

In summary, numeric data is data that can be measured on a continuous scale and expressed as numbers, while categorical data is data that can be divided into categories or groups. Knowing the type of data you are working with can help you better analyze and understand your data. 💡