Final answer:
Qualitative data is descriptive data categorized by attributes or characteristics, such as hair color or blood type, described using words rather than numbers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of data that is descriptive rather than numerical is known as qualitative data. Qualitative data, often referred to as categorical data, is used to categorize or describe attributes of a population. Examples of qualitative data include hair color, blood type, ethnic group, and the make of a car driven by a person. Such data are typically described by words or letters, like hair color being described as black or blonde, or blood type as AB+ or O-.
In descriptive statistics, understanding qualitative data is important as they provide a means to describe and summarize nonnumerical aspects of the data. For instance, when analyzing survey results, qualitative data can offer insights into language, feelings, or impressions that are essential for a comprehensive understanding of the respondents' perspectives. However, unlike quantitative data, which are expressed in numbers and can be analyzed mathematically to calculate measures like averages or standard deviation, qualitative data do not lend themselves easily to such mathematical analysis.
Within the realm of descriptive statistics, it's essential to distianguish between qualitative and quantitative data, as they are handled differently and serve different purposes regarding data analysis and interpretation.