MA1 CAT

if i gave u a series of numbers like

8674
3459
7194
3687

what wd u say by looking at them? u wd probably go “WTF do these number mean?”

unless numbers relate to “something” they are meaningless to us humans. and i wd call this data.

now, if i said to u that the above numbers are sales figures as follows:

Jan 8674
Feb 3459
Mar 7194
Apr 3687

well, now these numbers together with symbols for months represent something. this is information. we understand what the numbers are telling us and we can use them to further create more complex information like sales trends etc.

Another example:

lets say i gave u the months of the year:

jan, feb,mar,apr,may …. and so on

what wd u say to this? u wd probably say “i already known this!”. just knowing the months of the year is just data. if i told u average temperatures associated with each month in my city, then it wd become information

jan 12
feb 23
mar 26
apr 37

of course, if u were telling the months to a 3rd grader, for him it wd be information … in that he has “learnt” something new.

therefore note that data and information are 2 relative terms becuase in real life, these 2 words are used interchangeably. and the reason is data becomes information and in turn, this information can become data for further information, which maybe more complex.

i suggest follow the data definitions given in the text for example data can be number, symbols etc.

if u have any problems doing the questions, holler back

🙂