9B Collecting data SupportSheet

9B-1
Statistics

Name: Class:

Data types
➜ focus
To review the different types of data and appropriately classify data as the correct type

you will need

• ruler

show your understanding

1 Data is the information that is collected as a result of surveys. Data can be either numerical or
categorical. Copy the following into your workbook.
• Numerical data are either counted in whole numbers (discrete data) or measured
(continuous data).
• Categorical data can either be put in order (ordinal data) or be unrelated categories
(nominal data).
MyMaths 8 © Oxford University Press 2015

The following questions are examples to help you classify data as the correct data type.
2 A survey asks for the number of different hats students have at home. Complete the following
to classify this type of data.
The data is numerical as it relates to the number of hats.

As the numbers are whole numbers, it is an example of data.

3 A survey asks you for your favourite colour. Complete the following to classify this type
of data.
Data requesting a favourite colour is an example of categorical data.

8
The categories are unrelated, so is an example of data.
 4 A phone survey asks you to respond to questions as strongly agree, agree, neutral, disagree or
strongly disagree. Complete the following to classify this type of data.
The data is not numerical, so it is categorical.

As it can be placed in order, it is an example of data.

5 A survey wants to find the tallest person in your class. Complete the following to classify this
type of data.
The data collected is numerical.

As the data is measured, it is an example of data.

now try these

1 Classify the following as either numerical data or categorical data.
a the total number of pages in the books read during the year

b the colour of eyes of all people in your class

c the height of a plant measured on a weekly basis

d the assessment of a question as high, medium or low difficulty

MyMaths 8 © Oxford University Press 2015

e the gender of a newborn baby

f the number of babies born at a hospital in a year.

2 For each of the data you classified as categorical in question 1, state whether it is ordinal or
nominal.
3 For each of the data you classified as numerical in question 1, state whether it is discrete or
continuous.
 4 Which of the following numerical data is discrete?
a the number of milk containers in the fridge at home

b the volume of milk in the fridge at home

c the amount of petrol used by a car on a trip to the snow

d the cost of a newspaper.

5 Which of the following categorical data is nominal?

a the hair colour of people in your school

b the preferred music style of the people in your class

c the rating of the prime minister as poor, average or very good

d the subject offerings at Year 8 in your school.

MyMaths 8 © Oxford University Press 2015

thinking about your thinking

How will you remember the different classifications of data types?

End