ABSTRACT
Depending on your source of information, data are defined in many ways, including the following:
A collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn (e.g., statisti-• cal data). A datum is a statement accepted at face value (i.e., a given). • Data are the plural of datum. Large classes of practical, important statements are measurements or observations of a variable. Such statements may be composed of numbers, words, or images. A representation of facts, concepts, or instructions arranged in a formal-• ized manner suitable for communication, interpretation, or processing by humans or automated means.
