Quick answer: Data types in statistics describe what kind of value a variable holds. The main types are categorical, such as nominal and ordinal, and numerical, such as discrete and continuous. Nominal data has no order, ordinal data has a meaningful order, discrete data comes from counting, and continuous data comes from measuring.
Learn about Data Types in Statistics
In general, data types in statistics are a group of individual data points. Statistics consists of two main types of Data.
- Categorical Data Types
- Numerical Data Types
In this section, we will be discussing each of the Data Types with the example from Cricket since I watch cricket the most and its kinds of intriguing for me. We will explain in detail below about each of the data types
Categorical Data:
Categorical data is a data type stored as groups or categories with the help of names or labels. There are two types of Categorical Data Type
Nominal: Datatypes with no proper order
Ordinal: Datatypes with proper order
Numerical Data:
Numerical data is a data type that represents values that are measured and put into a logical order. There are two types of Numerical Data Type
Discrete: Discrete Data types are the ones that take only certain values. Discrete Data Types cannot be measured but it can be counted
Continuous: Continuous Data types are the ones that are measured and hence it cannot be counted.
Examples of each Data Type:
Categorical – Nominal Data Type:
Which team does “Virat Kohli” play?
{India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka}
Data inside the parenthesis is called Sample Space
Categorical – Ordinal Data Type:
Which position does “Virat Kohli” bat?
{1 down, 2 down, 3 down, 4 down}
Numerical – Discrete Data Type:
How many runs did “Virat Kohli” score in World Cup?
{150, 250, 350, 450}
Numerical – Continuous Data Type:
What is the height of “Virat Kohli”?
{5.5, 5.6, 5.7, 5.8}
Now that you have learnt the data types of basics in statistics we will discuss Distribution, Sampling & Estimation, Hypothesis Testing and P values in statistics. If you’re looking to enrol for Data Analytics Course, check the R Programming course from our institute. Also, read about the Installation of SAS University Edition.
Frequently asked questions
What are the four main data types in statistics?
Nominal, ordinal, discrete, and continuous. Nominal and ordinal are categorical, while discrete and continuous are numerical.
What is the difference between discrete and continuous data?
Discrete data comes from counting and takes separate values, like number of children. Continuous data comes from measuring and can take any value, like height.
Is height an example of ordinal data?
No, height is continuous numerical data because it is measured. Ordinal data has an order but no equal gaps, like satisfaction ratings.