Introduction
You must have observed your teacher recording the attendance of students in your class everyday, or recording marks obtained by you after every test or examination. Similarly, you must have also seen a cricket score board.
Consider the following news report about a cricket match.
In a recent cricket match, the performance of four bowlers was meticulously recorded.
Bowler A delivered 20 overs, including 1 maiden over, conceding 40 runs and successfully taking 3 wickets. Bowler B, with a longer spell, bowled 40 overs and managed 3 maiden overs while giving away only 30 runs and claiming 2 wickets. Bowler C, in their 30 overs with 2 maidens, conceded 25 runs and took 1 wicket. Lastly, Bowler D, who bowled the most, delivered 50 overs, including 4 maiden overs, and was the most economical, giving away just 20 runs and also taking 2 wickets. The data highlights the varying styles and efficiencies of the bowlers, with some prioritizing wicket-taking while others focused on minimizing the runs conceded.
Which bowler took the most wickets?
It's hard to keep track of so much text right? Now see below, the same data has been rearranged. Isn't it much easier to make sense of the data in this format?
| Name of the bowlers | Overs | Maiden Overs | Runs given | Wickets taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | 20 | 1 | 40 | 3 |
| B | 40 | 3 | 30 | 2 |
| C | 30 | 2 | 25 | 1 |
| D | 50 | 4 | 20 | 2 |
| Name of the batsmen | Runs | Balls faced | Time (in min) |
|---|---|---|---|
| E | 45 | 62 | 40 |
| F | 55 | 75 | 30 |
| G | 37 | 80 | 25 |
| H | 22 | 54 | 20 |
You know that in a game of cricket the information recorded is not simply about who won and who lost. In the score board, you will also find some equally important information about the game. For instance, you may find out the time taken and number of balls faced by the highest run-scorer.
Similarly, in your day to day life, you must have seen several kinds of tables consisting of numbers, figures, names etc.
These tables provide Data.
A data is a collection of numbers gathered to give some information.