Data Types

What is Data? How is it structured?

Primitive Data Types: Simple types of data, such as numbers, letters, and words.

• Text: letters and words, each letter is referred to as a character and different data types can have different character limits.

• Number: usually referred to as an integer, whole numbers and decimals both positive and negative values.

• Boolean: like an on/off switch or yes/no or true/false, this can only have one of two values.

• Bits: this refers to how much information can be stored within a given piece of data. A single bit is the most basic unit of information in computing.

Data Structure & Management: Data, especially as it grows into composite data, requires organized and structured management so the data can be easily accessed efficiently. A database uses a defined logical format, sometimes called abstract data type (ADT), which will vary depending on the nature of the application. Complex data can be slow to process if there isn’t a sophisticated system in place to best read & write data while comparing it to other pieces of information.

• Some common examples of data structures are: array, linked list, a record, hash tables, graphs, stacks, trees.

How do you organize your data?