Chapter 4

a. Data are the raw bits and pieces of facts and statistics with no context. Data can be quantitative or qualitative. Information is data that has been given context. Knowledge is information that has been aggregated and analyzed and can be used for making decisions.

a. There are numerous answers to this question, but all should be variations on the following: Data is processed by the hardware via software. A database is software that runs on the hardware. Hardware stores the data, software processes the data.

a. Quantitative data is numeric, the result of a measurement, count, or some other mathematical calculation. Qualitative data is descriptive. The number 42 could be qualitative if it is a designation instead of a measurement, count, or calculation. For example: that player’s jersey has number 42 on it.

a. A relational database is one in which data is organized into one or more tables. Each table has a set of fields, which define the nature of the data stored in the table. A record is one instance of a set of fields in a table. All the tables are related by one or more fields in common.

a. When working on a smaller database for personal use, or when disconnected from the network.

a. A database is generally more powerful and complex than a spreadsheet, with the ability to handle multiple types of data and link them together. Some differences: A database has defined field types, a spreadsheet does not. A database uses a standardized query language (such as SQL), a spreadsheet does not. A database can hold much larger amounts of data than a spreadsheet.

a. To normalize a database means to design it in a way that: 1) reduces duplication of data between tables and 2) gives the table as much flexibility as possible.

a. A data type tells the database what functions can be performed with the data. The second important reason to define the data type is so that the proper amount of storage space is allocated for the data.

a. The student can choose any sort of system that they interact with, such as Amazon or their school’s online systems. The fields would be the names of data being collected, such as “first name”, or “address”.

a. Metadata is data about data. It refers to the data used to describe other data, such as the length of a song in iTunes, which describes the music file.

a. The text lists the following (the student should pick at least three of these):

i. The process of developing a data warehouse forces an organization to better understand the data that it is currently collecting and, equally important, what data is not being collected.

ii. A data warehouse provides a centralized view of all data being collected across the enterprise and provides a means of determining data that is inconsistent.

iii. Once all data is identified as consistent, an organization can generate one version of the truth. This is important when the company wants to report consistent statistics about itself, such as revenue or number of employees.

iv. By having a data warehouse, snapshots of data can be taken over time. This creates a historical record of data, which allows for an analysis of trends.

v. A data warehouse provides tools to combine data, which can provide new information and analysis.

a. Data mining is the process of analyzing data to find previously unknown trends, patterns, and associations in order to make decisions.