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Encyclopedia > Data set

A data set (or dataset) is a collection of data, usually presented in tabular form. Each column represents a particular variable, and each row is an assignment of values for each of the variables to a member of the set in question. For other uses, see Data (disambiguation). ...


In the simplest case, there is only one variable, and then the data set consists of a single column of values, often represented as a list.


The values may be numbers, such as real numbers or integers, for example representing a person's height in centimeters, but may also be nominal data (i.e., not consisting of numerical values), for example representing a person's ethnicity. For each variable, the values will normally all be of the same kind. However, there may also be "missing values", which need to be indicated in some way. In mathematics, the real numbers may be described informally as numbers that can be given by an infinite decimal representation, such as 2. ... The integers are commonly denoted by the above symbol. ... The level of measurement of a variable in mathematics and statistics describes how much information the numbers associated with the variable contain. ... This article discusses the use of the word Number in Mathematics. ... In statistics, missing values are a common occurrence. ...


In statistics data sets usually come from actual observations obtained by sampling a statistical population, and each row corresponds to the observations on one element of that population. Data sets may further be generated by algorithms for the purpose of testing certain kinds of software. A graph of a Normal bell curve showing statistics used in educational assessment and comparing various grading methods. ... Sampling is that part of statistical practice concerned with the selection of individual observations intended to yield some knowledge about a population of concern, especially for the purposes of statistical inference. ... In statistics, a statistical population is a set of entities concerning which statistical inferences are to be drawn, often based on a random sample taken from the population. ... Flowcharts are often used to represent algorithms. ... Computer software (or simply software) refers to one or more computer programs and data held in the storage of a computer for some purpose. ...


While the term suggests a relationship to set theory it should not be assumed that a given data set is, in fact, a set in the usual mathematically sense. The rows of a data set need not be distinct, and so a data set is technically a multiset. Set theory is the mathematical theory of sets, which represent collections of abstract objects. ... This article is about sets in mathematics. ... In mathematics, a multiset (sometimes also called a bag) differs from a set in that each member has a multiplicity, which is a natural number indicating (loosely speaking) how many times it is a member, or perhaps how many memberships it has in the multiset. ...


Other uses

Files are called data sets in the MVS operating system (see Data set (IBM mainframe)) and in statistical packages such as SAS or SPSS. A computer file is a collection of information that is stored in a computer system and can be identified by its full path name. ... MVS (Multiple Virtual Storage) was the most commonly used operating system on the System/370 and System/390 IBM mainframe computers. ... An operating system (OS) is a set of computer programs that manage the hardware and software resources of a computer. ... The term data set or dataset is used to refer to files on an IBM mainframe computer, typically stored on DASD or magnetic tape. ... A statistical package is a kind of large computer program that is specialised for statistical analysis. ... The SAS System, originally Statistical Analysis System, is an integrated system of software products provided by SAS Institute that enables the programmer to perform: data entry, retrieval, management, and mining report writing and graphics statistical and mathematical analysis business planning, forecasting, and decision support operations research and project management quality... The computer program SPSS (originally, Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) was released in its first version in 1968, and is among the most widely used programs for statistical analysis in social science. ...


See also


  Results from FactBites:
 
Common Data Set Initiative (394 words)
The Common Data Set (CDS) initiative is a collaborative effort among data providers in the higher education community and publishers as represented by the College Board, Peterson's, and U.S. News and World Report.
Data items and definitions used by the U.S. Department of Education in its higher education surveys often serve as a guide in the continued development of the CDS.
The CDS is a set of standards and definitions of data items rather than a survey instrument or set of data represented in a database.
ERS/USDA Data - International Macroeconomic Data Set (315 words)
The International Macroeconomic Data Set provides data from 1969 through 2017 for real (adjusted for inflation) gross domestic product (GDP), population, real exchange rates, and other variables for the 190 countries and 34 regions that are most important for U.S. agricultural trade.
The data presented here are a key component of the USDA Baseline projections process, and can be used as a benchmark for analyzing the impacts of U.S. and global macroeconomic shocks.
For population data and projections for 1950-2050, visit the Bureau of the Census.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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