28 Chapter 1
3. How Multiple-Choice Answers Are Handled in Practice
As mentioned on page 25, the multiple-choice answers for the first question of the readers’
questionnaire are categorical data. However, in practice, it is possible to handle such data as
numerical data when processing consumer questionnaires and so on. Some examples are
below.
Very fun
5 points
Rather fun
4 points
Average
3 points
Rather boring
2 points
Very boring
1 point
Very fun
2 points
Rather fun
1 point
Average
0 points
Rather boring
−1 points
Very boring
−2 points
The same data is handled differently in theory and in practice. Keep in mind that data
may be categorized differently in different situations.
Determining Data Types 29
Exercise and Answer
Summary
Data is classified as categorical data or numerical data.
Some data, such as “very fun” or “very boring,” is theoretically categorical data.
However, in practice, it is possible to treat it as numerical data.
•
•
Exercise
Determine whether the data in the following table is categorical data or numerical data.
Respondent Blood
type
Opinion on
sports drink X
Comfortable air
conditioning
temperature (°C)
100m track
race record
(seconds)
Mr./Ms. A B Not good 25 14.1
Mr./Ms. B A Good 24 12.2
Mr./Ms. C AB Good 25 17.0
Mr./Ms. D O Average 27 15.6
Mr./Ms. E A Not good 24 18.4
... ... ... ... ...
Answer
Blood type and opinion on sports drink X are examples of categorical data. Comfortable
air conditioning temperature and 100m track race record are examples of numerical
data.
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