Final answer:
MASINT is an intelligence gathering discipline that focuses on analyzing physical attributes of targets using methods like remote sensing; it's different from qualitative or nonnumerical data collection.
Step-by-step explanation:
​Measurement and Intelligence (MASINT) is technically derived intelligence data other than imagery and signals intelligence that locates, identifies, or describes distinctive characteristics of targets. While data like qualitative data and nonnumerical data are related to collecting information based on language, feelings, or impressions, MASINT is more concerned with physical attributes and is often collected via methods like remote sensing technology. This technology, which includes aerial photographs and satellite images, assists geographers and intelligence personnel in identifying and understanding landscapes and determining land use. It plays a critical role in the cartographic process and in analyzing changes on the earth's surface due to natural or human forces. The analysis and evaluation of MASINT require understanding multiple sources of geographic information, such as primary and secondary sources, remote sensing technology, and various mapping techniques.