Question

Why is a quantitative observation more useful than a non- quantitative one? Which of the following are quantitative?

(a) The Sun rises in the east.
(b) An astronaut weighs one-sixth as much on the Moon as on earth. (c) Ice floats on water.
(d) An old-fashioned hand pump cannot draw water from a well

Answer 1

A quantitative observation is not necessarily more useful than a non-quantitative one. However, quantitative observations do allow one to find trends.

(a), the sun rising is a non-quantitative observation.

(b), knowledge of the numerical relationship between the weight on the Moon and on Earth, is a quantitative observation.

(c), watching ice float on water does not involve a measurement; therefore, it must be a qualitative observation.

(d) the fact that we know that the water pump won’t work for depths more than 34 feet makes it quantitative. Again, seeing numbers is a giveaway that it’s a quantitative observation. Quantitative is where you deal with numbers.