Classify the variable 'colour of a car' as qualitative or quantitative.
(Total for Question 1 is 1 mark)
2
Classify the variable 'number of buttons on a coat' as discrete or continuous.
(Total for Question 2 is 1 mark)
3
State whether this is True or False: Quantitative data is always numerical.
(Total for Question 3 is 1 mark)
4
State whether this is True or False: Continuous data can only take whole-number values.
(Total for Question 4 is 1 mark)
5
Define what is meant by quantitative data, and give one example of a quantitative variable.
(Total for Question 5 is 2 marks)
6
For each variable, write down whether it is discrete or continuous. (a) The number of pages in a book. (b) The volume of water in a bottle, in litres.
(Total for Question 6 is 2 marks)
7
For each variable, write down whether it is qualitative or quantitative. (a) Eye colour. (b) The time taken to bake a cake, in minutes.
(Total for Question 7 is 2 marks)
8
State whether each of the following uses primary or secondary data. (a) A student stands outside her house and counts the cars that pass, herself. (b) A researcher uses population figures published by the Office for National Statistics.
(Total for Question 8 is 2 marks)
9
Complete each sentence with the correct word. (a) Categorical data whose categories have no natural order is called ______ data. (b) Categorical data whose categories have a natural order or ranking is called ______ data.
(Total for Question 9 is 2 marks)
10
For each statement, write down whether it is True or False. (i) Bivariate data involves two variables recorded for each individual or item. (ii) Grouped data shows the exact individual value for every item in the data set.
(Total for Question 10 is 2 marks)
11
Give one advantage of using primary data, and one disadvantage of using primary data.
(Total for Question 11 is 2 marks)
12
State whether this is True or False: Primary data is collected first-hand, for a specific purpose.
(Total for Question 12 is 1 mark)
13
A student downloads average rainfall figures from the Met Office website. State whether this is primary or secondary data.
(Total for Question 13 is 1 mark)
14
A vet records two variables for a dog: its breed, and its mass in kilograms. Write down whether each variable is qualitative or quantitative.
(Total for Question 14 is 2 marks)
15
A geography student wants to compare rainfall this year with rainfall recorded at the same weather station 50 years ago.
(a)State whether the student needs primary or secondary data to find the rainfall figures from 50 years ago.(1)
(b)Give two reasons to justify your answer to part (a).(2)
(Total for Question 15 is 3 marks)
16
A student is investigating: 'Do people who exercise more have a lower resting heart rate?' She records two variables for each person in her sample: minutes of exercise per week, and resting heart rate in beats per minute.
(a)State whether recording both variables for each person makes this bivariate data.(1)
(b)Classify each variable as discrete or continuous, giving a reason for each.(2)
(Total for Question 16 is 3 marks)
17
A researcher records two variables for 50 runners: age (in years) and marathon finishing time (in minutes), to see if there is a relationship between them.
(a)State whether age and finishing time, recorded together, form bivariate data.(1)
(b)Explain why a scatter graph, rather than a bar chart, is the appropriate way to display this data.(2)
(Total for Question 17 is 3 marks)
18
A gardener records the exact, raw height, in cm, of each of 40 sunflowers individually.
(a)Define what is meant by grouped data.(1)
(b)Give one advantage and one disadvantage of grouping the gardener's raw height data into class intervals.(2)
(Total for Question 18 is 3 marks)
19
A survey records each runner's finishing category in a race as 'Gold', 'Silver', 'Bronze' or 'Other'.
(a)State whether this is nominal or ordinal data.(1)
(b)Explain why this differs from recording each runner's favourite running shoe brand, which is nominal data.(2)
(Total for Question 19 is 3 marks)
20
In a survey, students record which lunch option they chose using codes: 1 = Sandwich, 2 = Salad, 3 = Hot meal.
(a)Explain why this data is qualitative, even though it has been recorded using numbers.(2)
(b)State whether this is nominal or ordinal data, with a reason.(1)
(Total for Question 20 is 3 marks)
Mark scheme · S04D Types of Data: Fluency and Exam Drill
Question 1
B1 Qualitative cao
Answer: Qualitative
Question 2
B1 Discrete cao
Answer: Discrete
Question 3
B1 True cao
Answer: True
Question 4
B1 False cao
Answer: False
Question 5
B1 data that is numerical and can be counted or measured, oe
B1 a valid quantitative example, e.g. height, age, number of pets, oe
Answer: Quantitative data is numerical data that can be counted or measured, for example a person's height.
Question 6
B1 (a) Discrete cao
B1 (b) Continuous cao
Answer: (a) Discrete (b) Continuous
Question 7
B1 (a) Qualitative cao
B1 (b) Quantitative cao
Answer: (a) Qualitative (b) Quantitative
Question 8
B1 (a) Primary cao
B1 (b) Secondary cao
Answer: (a) Primary (b) Secondary
Question 9
B1 (a) nominal
B1 (b) ordinal
Answer: (a) nominal (b) ordinal
Question 10
B1 (i) True cao
B1 (ii) False cao
Answer: (i) True (ii) False
Question 11
B1 advantage: e.g. collected for the exact purpose needed, and the researcher controls how it is collected, oe
B1 disadvantage: e.g. can take longer and cost more to collect than using existing data, oe
Answer: Advantage: it is collected for the exact purpose needed. Disadvantage: it can take longer and cost more to collect than using data that already exists.
Question 12
B1 True cao
Answer: True
Question 13
B1 Secondary cao
Answer: Secondary
Question 14
B1 Breed: qualitative
B1 Mass (kg): quantitative
Answer: Breed - qualitative; Mass (kg) - quantitative.
Question 15
(a) B1 Secondary cao
(a) Answer: Secondary data.
(b) B1 it is impossible to measure rainfall from 50 years ago herself, since that time has already passed, oe
(b) B1 reliable historical rainfall records already exist (e.g. from the Met Office), so there is no need to collect it again, oe
(b) Answer: She cannot measure rainfall from 50 years ago herself, since that time has passed, and reliable historical records already exist (e.g. from the Met Office) for her to use instead.
Question 16
(a) B1 Yes, it is bivariate, because two variables are recorded for each person, oe
(a) Answer: Yes, this is bivariate data, since two variables are recorded for each person.
(b) B1 minutes of exercise per week: continuous, because time can take any value and is measured, oe
(b) B1 resting heart rate (beats per minute): discrete, because it is a whole-number count of beats, oe
(b) Answer: Minutes of exercise is continuous, since time is measured and can take any value. Resting heart rate is discrete, since it is a whole-number count of beats.
Question 17
(a) B1 Yes, bivariate, because two variables are recorded for each runner, oe
(a) Answer: Yes, this is bivariate data.
(b) B1 both variables are quantitative/numerical, oe
(b) B1 a scatter graph can show whether a relationship or pattern exists between two numerical variables, which a bar chart cannot show, oe
(b) Answer: Both age and finishing time are numerical (quantitative) variables, and a scatter graph can show whether a relationship exists between two numerical variables, which a bar chart cannot show.
Question 18
(a) B1 data organised into class intervals, usually shown with a frequency for each interval, oe
(a) Answer: Grouped data is data organised into class intervals, usually shown with a frequency for each interval.
(b) B1 advantage: e.g. easier to see the overall pattern of heights, or simpler to display in a table or chart, oe
(b) B1 disadvantage: e.g. the exact individual heights are lost, so an exact mean cannot be calculated, oe
(b) Answer: Advantage: it is easier to see the overall pattern and display the data simply. Disadvantage: the exact individual heights are lost, so an exact mean can no longer be found.
Question 19
(a) B1 Ordinal cao
(a) Answer: Ordinal
(b) B1 the finishing categories have a natural order or ranking, Gold is better than Silver, which is better than Bronze, oe
(b) B1 shoe brands have no such natural order between them, so they are nominal instead, oe
(b) Answer: Gold, Silver and Bronze have a clear ranking (Gold is the best result, then Silver, then Bronze), whereas shoe brands have no natural order between them, which is why brand is nominal instead.
Question 20
(a) B1 the numbers are just labels/codes for categories (Sandwich, Salad, Hot meal), not numerical quantities that can be measured or counted, oe
(a) B1 it would not make sense to carry out arithmetic with the codes, e.g. finding an 'average lunch code' would be meaningless, oe
(a) Answer: The numbers 1, 2 and 3 are just labels for the categories, not a measurable quantity. Calculating something like an 'average lunch code' would be meaningless, showing the data is really qualitative.
(b) B1 nominal, because the three lunch options have no natural order or ranking, oe
(b) Answer: Nominal, because there is no natural order between Sandwich, Salad and Hot meal.