WPC_300 Data_Variables_Notes.docx.pdf

Data Variables Notes

Data

oQualitative

Descriptive

Conceptual

Cannot be measured

oQuantitative

Counted

Measured

Expressed using numbers

Quantitative Data Variables

oNumerical

Interval

Ratio

oCategorical

Nominal

Ordinal

Numerical: Interval

oScale, quantitative, parametric data

oDistances between consecutive integers are equal

Relative magnitude of numbers is meaningful

Differences between numbers are comparable

Location of origin, “zero”, is arbitrary

Data is always numerical

oExample:

Temperature at different rooms in a home

Numerical: Ratio

oSimilar to the interval scale but has a true zero point

oCommonly used for values that are measured in numbers, such as length, height, weight,

or monetary values like cost and revenue

oRelative magnitude of numbers is meaningful

oDifferences between numbers are comparable

oLocation of origin, zero, is absolute (natural)

oExamples:

Height, Weight, and Volume; Monetary Variables, such as Profit and Loss,

Revenues

Categorical: Nominal

oNumerical values just "name" the attribute uniquely

oNumbers are used to classify or categorize

oCan be stored as word, text, or nominal code

oExample: Employment Classification

1 for Educator

2 for Construction Worker

3 for Manufacturing Worker

Categorical: Ordinal

oNumbers are used to indicate rank or order

oRelative magnitude of numbers is meaningful

oDifferences between numbers are not comparable

oExamples:

Difference between strongly agree and agree is not necessarily same as the

difference between disagree and strongly disagree

Rank Value

1 for President

2 for Vice President

3 for Plant Manager

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