CHAPTER 4 Scales and Measurements

BEFORE YOU CAN put data into a database, you actually need to think about how it will be represented and manipulated. Most programmers have never heard of measurement theory or thought about the best way to represent their data. Although this topic is not specifically about SQL style, it gives a foundation for decisions that have to be made in the design of any schema.

4.1 Measurement Theory

Measure all that is measurable and attempt to make measurable that whichis not y et so.

—Galileo (1564–1642)

Measurement theory is a branch of applied mathematics that is useful in data analysis. Measurements are not the same as the attribute being measured. Measurement is not just assigning numbers to things or their attributes ...

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