Asked what is data? to a computer science person.
Anything showing collection of zero and one indicating or showing any value that can be termed as data
Data is Smallest form of workable value to humans in computer or machine language?
What is A? ASCII value of this A is something? It is shown as A to human but for computer it is certain number 0 or1? In ASCII it is 97 for small a and 65 for capital A.
The binary representation of the decimal number 97 is 1100001.
This set of numbers or digits 0 or 1 is only for machine language, to understand the value of figure, that human sees as A.
What statistics is? Statistics is the discipline that concerns the collection, organization, analysis, interpretation, and presentation of data. it further provides tool & methods for making sense of numerical information and drawing conclusion.
But there are so many statistics too. Applied statistics, descriptive or inferential, but there are terms like administrative and official statistics too. So there are many terms related to type of statistics. Everyone tells statistics and data are inseparable. For few statistics is just to calculate average, mean, median, mode & or Percentage, Interest rates? etc.
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| weights & balance- Indus Valley Civilization @National Museum New Delhi |
I think numbers data or statistics might be in existence since humans waked on this earth? though not in any coded language, but it could in use via symbols or signaling? As development of civilization happened along with language, culture, philosophy so did the development of sciences, knowledge.
"Indus valley civilization" term became famous in history. Excavation at world famous archeological sites of Harrappa & Mohenjo-Daro unearthed many unbelievable pieces of history. what looked like beads, measurement units of various shapes, a Balance?
it is much later that Rakhigarhi, Lothal, Dholavira and other sites came to be known. Now they are best example of traditional knowledge of ancient Bharat or India. I saw at National Museum, New Delhi.
Historian state that in 5th BCE Athenian estimated height of wall using some method. But now we also know that Aryabhat (for decimal number sysetm, value of pi & algebra) and other scholars such as Brahmgupt (arithmatic and zero), Bhaskaracharya (Bhaskara I or II). Katyayan etc had already formulated value of circumference of earth. During first millennium BCE many sutra were written-namely Shulba Sutras that are part of Shrauta Sutras, four major sutras related to mathematics are attributed to Baudhayana, Manava, Apastamba, and Katyayana.
Baudhayan said to have lived during 800 to 740 BCE. He is credited to have worked out what presently known as Pythagoras theorem. So there are many more great sages who had worked during vedic era and in later times. what it means that data, mathematics and statistics could have been in existence way back in vedic period too?
Arthshastra is w well known world over, great work by Kautilya or Chanakya. He, the Vishnu Gupt was great luminary in lineage of our ancient Indian sages/rishi parampara. Where disciple learns under guru-shishya tradition. As we get information, there were university now known as Nalanda, vikramshila and Taxila or Takshila University. when such great universities existed there many millennium BCE what could be curriculum taught there? even students from many countries of world came to study?
Raja Todar mal name also became famous. He is associated with Revenue and land records.
so data collection, statistics, official and administrative statistics had been in existence in India.
