Question

Classify the following data. Indicate whether the data is qualitative or quantitative, indicate whether the data is discrete, continuous, or neither, and indicate the level of measurement for the data.

A survey response to "Do you favor a flat tax?"

1) Yes 2) No

1. Are these data qualitative or quantitative?

2. Are these data discrete, continuous or neither?

3. What is the highest level of measurement the data possesses? Nominal, ordinal, interval, or ratio?

Answer 1

Qualitative data measure a quality or characteristic on each experimental unit. Qualitative data are categorized according to similarities or differences in kind, hence they are often called categorical data

Student Gender - Male, Female

Political affiliation: Republican, Democrat, Independent

Taste ranking: excellent, good, fair, poor

Quantitative data measure a numerical quantity or amount on each experimental unit. ex. Number of passengers on a flight from Delhi to Mumbai.

1. A survey response to "Do you favor a flat tax?" - In this example data are categorized in two category Yes and No, hence it comes under Qualitative data/ Categorical data

2. Quantitative data are classified into - Discrete and Continuous, hence the given data are neither discrete not continuous

3. Data can be classified into four levels of measurement:

Nominal => Ordinal => Interval => Ratio ( Highest level )

Nominal - Its lowest level of measurement in which data are Qualitative, ex. Color of hair, Yes / No responses of survey

Ordinal Level - Data are ordered but ex. A>B>C but without any other information

Interval Level - Differences between the data makes sense, ex. Fahrenheit and Celsius scales of temperatures are examples of interval level of measurement

Ratio Level - It is Highest level of measurement, Distances in any system of measurement gives data at the ratio level