Data is a term used to describe information that has been translated into a form that is efficient for movement or processing. It can be a collection of discrete or continuous values that convey information, describing the quantity, quality, fact, statistics, other basic units of meaning, or simply sequences of symbols that may be further interpreted formally. Data can be organized into structures such as tables that provide additional context and meaning, and which may themselves be used as data in larger structures.
Data can be used as variables in a computational process and may represent abstract ideas or concrete measurements. It is commonly used in scientific research, economics, and in virtually every other form of human organizational activity. Data can be qualitative or quantitative, and it can be in the form of text, observations, figures, images, numbers, graphs, or symbols.
The terms "data" and "information" are sometimes used interchangeably, but they are not the same. Data is defined as individual facts, while information is the organization and interpretation of those facts. If data are the bricks, then information is the house they form when laid out in an organized manner. Ultimately, data and information can be used together to identify and solve problems.
In summary, data is a collection of facts or information that can be used for reasoning, discussion, or calculation. It can be qualitative or quantitative and can be used as variables in computational processes.
