Which of the following is a characteristic of data that is categorized nonnumerically?

Categorical data is characterized by the classification of data into distinct categories or groups that are non-numeric. This type of data is used to label variables without providing a measurable value. For example, it can include categories like blood type, gender, or tumor stage, where the values indicate a quality or characteristic rather than a quantity.

This classification helps in organizing information and is essential in fields like oncology where patient demographics, treatment types, or cancer classifications are evaluated. Each category does not imply any order or rank; they simply represent different types of data that can be analyzed to draw conclusions about the population in question.

In contrast, qualitative data typically refers to non-numeric data that describes qualities or characteristics but can overlap with categorical data in some contexts. Discrete data, on the other hand, refers to counts or whole numbers that can be distinctly separated, while continuous data consists of measurements that can take any value within a range. Understanding these distinctions helps in accurately processing and analyzing data in oncology research and statistics.