Definition:
The process of arranging data into various groups or classes according to some common characteristics is called classification.
There are four types of classification.
i. Quantitative classification:
When the data are classified according to quantitative variable, then it is known quantitative classification e.g. when population of a city is classified by income, age, weight, height etc.
Height (inches): 54-56 57-59 60-62 63-65 65-67.
No. of person : 289 356 589 297 240.
ii. Qualitative classification:
When the data are classified according to qualitative characteristics like sex, literacy, religion education etc. then it is called qualitative classifications. E.g. classification of population according to sex (i.e. male and female), according to education (i.e. literate and illiterate), according to wealth (i.e. rich and poor) etc.
iii. Geographic classification:
When the data are classified according to places or geographic location. Then it is called geographic classification. E.g. population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded in 1990 district wise, literacy rate in Pakistan province wise etc. the following example illustrate geographic classification.
Country:
|
Canada
|
U.S.A
|
Germany
|
France
|
National income
|
7930
|
7880
|
7510
|
6730
|
Series which are obtained by arranging the data on the basis of places are called “spatial series”.
iv. Chronological OR temporal classification:
When the data are classified on the basis of time, then it is known as chronological classification and the series so obtained is called time series. The following table would give an idea of chronological classification.
Year : 1930 1940 1950 1960 1970.
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