Final answer:
The statement about the temperature of the patient increasing by 5 degrees is a quantitative observation because it involves a measurable change in temperature, which includes both a numerical value and a unit.
Step-by-step explanation:
The observation that the temperature of the patient increases by 5 degrees is a quantitative observation. In science, specifically within the domains of physics and medicine, quantitative observations are those that encompass measurements, which inherently include both a number and a unit. For example, stating that the temperature is 24 degrees Fahrenheit or that a ream of paper has 500 sheets are illustrations of quantitative observations because they are expressing a measurable amount.
Qualitative observations, on the other hand, describe properties or occurrences without relying on numerical values. For instance, saying the weather outside is snowy or describing sulfur crystals as yellow constitutes qualitative data because these are descriptors without associated numerical measures. Therefore, when considering the statement about the patient's temperature increasing by a specific number of degrees, we are clearly dealing with a measurement, thereby making it a quantitative observation.