I N F O G R A P H I C B Y I N T E L L S P O T . C O M

CategoricalData 

Definition, characteristics,examples

Categorical data is data that is divided into groups or

categories. These categories are based on qualitative

characteristics such as gender and colors or something

else that doesn’t have a number associated with it.

This doesn’t mean that categorical data cannot

have numerical values.

In fact, categorical data often takes numerical

values, but those numbers don’t have any

mathematical meaning. They just represent the

number of items in each group. For example 12

blondes in a class.

D E F I N I T I O N

KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF CATEGORICAL DATA

Categorical data is

divided into groups or

categories.

The categories are

based on qualitative

characteristics.

There is no order to

categorical values and

variables.

Categorical data can take

numerical values, but those

numbers don’t have any

mathematical meaning.

Categorical data is

displayed graphically by

bar charts and pie

charts.

1

EXAMPLES OF  CATEGORICAL DATA:

Gender (Male,Female)

2

Hair color (Blonde, Brunette, Brown, Red, etc.)3

Brand of soaps(Dove, Olay…)

4

5

6

Survey on a topic “Do you havechildren?” (Yes or No)

Motives for traveling (Leisure, Business Travel,To Visit Friends and etc.)

Age group (under 12 years old, 12-17 years old, 18-24 yearsold, 25-34 years old, 35-44 years old and etc.)

C A T E G O R I C A L A N D Q U A N T I T A T I V E D A T A : D I F F E R E N C E

Quantitative data is

measured and expressed

numerically. It is used in

calculations and arithmetic.

In comparison, the

categorical data does not

have any numerical

meaning.

Examples of quantitative

data: weight, temperature,

GPA, annual income,

number of hours spent

working. Types of

quantitative data are:

ordinal, interval, and ratio.

Categorical data is only

one type – the nominal

type.

Quantitative data are

analyzed using descriptive

statistics, time series, linear

regression models, and

much more. For categorical

data, typically only

graphical and descriptive

methods are used.

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