data
    n 1: a collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn;
         "statistical data" [syn: data, information]

Data \Da"ta\, n. pl. [L. pl. of datum.]
   1. See Datum.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. a collection of facts, observations, or other information
      related to a particular question or problem; as, the
      historical data show that the budget deficit is only a
      small factor in determining interest rates.

   Note: The term in this sense is used especially in reference
         to experimental observations collected in the course of
         a controlled scientific investigation.
         [PJC]

   3. (Computers) information, most commonly in the form of a
      series of binary digits, stored on a physical storage
      medium for manipulation by a computer program. It is
      contrasted with the program which is a series of
      instructions used by the central processing unit of a
      computer to manipulate the data. In some conputers data
      and execuatble programs are stored in separate locations.
      [PJC]

Datum \Da"tum\, n.; pl. Data. [L. See 2d Date.]
   1. Something given or admitted; a fact or principle granted;
      that upon which an inference or an argument is based; --
      used chiefly in the plural.
      [1913 Webster]

            Any writer, therefore, who . . . furnishes us with
            data sufficient to determine the time in which he
            wrote.                                --Priestley.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. a single piece of information; a fact; especially a piece
      of information obtained by observation or experiment; --
      used mostly in the plural.
      [PJC]

   3. pl. (Math.) The quantities or relations which are assumed
      to be given in any problem.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. (Surveying) a point, line, or level surface used as a
      reference in measuring elevations. --RHUD
      [PJC]

   Datum line (Surv.), the horizontal or base line, from which
      the heights of points are reckoned or measured, as in the
      plan of a railway, etc.
      [1913 Webster]

data
raw data

    /day't*/ (Or "raw data")
   Numbers, characters, images, or other method of recording,
   in a form which can be assessed by a human or (especially)
   input into a computer, stored and processed there, or
   transmitted on some digital channel.  Computers nearly
   always represent data in binary.

   Data on its own has no meaning, only when interpreted by some
   kind of data processing system does it take on meaning and
   become information.

   For example, the binary data 01110101 might represent the integer
   117 or the ASCII lower case U character or the blue component of
   a pixel in some video.  Which of these it represents is
   determined by the way it is processed (added, printed, displayed,
   etc.).  Even these numbers, characters or pixels however are still
   not really information until their context is known, e.g. my bank
   balance is £117, there are two Us in "vacuum", you have blue eyes.

   (2007-09-10)