How are quantitative data different from qualitative data?

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statistics Figure 1: A bar graph showing the marital status of 100 individuals.

In the field of statistics, data are classified based on the nature of the information they represent. The primary difference between quantitative and qualitative data lies in what they measure or describe:1

Quantitative data measure numerical values, specifically indicating "how much" or "how many" of something exists. Examples include variables like age or annual income, where the data values represent quantities.1
Qualitative data provide labels or names used to categorize items into distinct groups. Examples include variables like gender or marital status, where the data values are descriptive labels such as "male," "female," "single," or "married".1

In any study, these variables are used to collect facts and figures that are subsequently analyzed, presented, and interpreted to derive useful information.1

Would you like to know more about how these data types are used in statistical inference?