Which term refers to data that can be counted and analyzed with statistics?

• A. Anecdotal Data
• B. Qualitative Data
• C. Quantitative Data
• D. Categorical Data

Answer: (C)

Quantitative data are numeric measurements that you can count, measure, and analyze with statistics. They include values like test scores, temperatures, or the number of items sold, and they can be summed, averaged, and used to assess variation, relationships, and trends with statistical methods.

Anecdotal data are individual stories or observations, not structured numbers. Qualitative data describe qualities or attributes in words, not numbers. Categorical data describe items that fall into named groups (like colors or categories), which can be counted but aren’t inherently numeric. The term that directly refers to data suited for counting and statistical analysis is quantitative data.