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An introduction to several data types you may encounter in your programming journey.
Definitions
- Text - data stored as a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols
- Numeric Data - whole, floating-point, and negative numbers that can perform mathematical operations
- Boolean - data that represents the truth value (true or false) stored as a bit
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Welcome.
0:00
In this video, we will introduce you to
several data types you may encounter in
0:01
your programming journey.
0:05
Consider the cabinets in your kitchen.
0:08
When I was growing up, the cabinet
next to our refrigerator was only for
0:11
drinking glasses.
0:15
The one above the countertop was for
canned foods.
0:16
The cabinet under the sink was for
cleaning supplies.
0:20
Now, you would never think to store
a drinking glass under the sink.
0:24
And I learned very quickly not to put
the green beans in the cabinet next to
0:28
the fridge.
0:31
Think of these kitchen
cabinets as data types.
0:34
Each data type is designated to
store one specific type of data.
0:36
If you break the rule, well,
you may get in trouble.
0:41
Some programming languages allow
you to store data without first
0:45
identifying its type, like Python.
0:49
Some languages allow the data's
type to change throughout the code,
0:51
such as JavaScript.
0:56
Other languages force the programmer to
identify the data's type before using it.
0:58
I'm talking about you Java.
1:03
There are so
many different data types, and
1:04
each programming language has its
own rules on how to use them.
1:07
Regardless of the language,
1:12
you are likely to encounter
one of these three data types.
1:14
The first is text.
1:18
It's a combination of letters,
numbers and symbols.
1:20
For example,
you can store my name, Richard,
1:24
my hometown, Roanoke, Virginia,
or a complete sentence,
1:29
I can be reached at (540) 555-1234.
1:35
Next is numeric data.
1:41
The advantage of numeric data is that
I can perform mathematical operations.
1:43
I can store whole numbers,
the number of bones in the human body, 206
1:50
population of a city 102,345.
1:57
Numbers with a decimal point,
Pi rounded to 4 decimal places, 3.1416
2:02
ounces of water in a liter, 33.8.
2:09
And even negative numbers,
strokes under par in a golf tournament, -16
2:15
absolute zero in Celsius, -273.15.
2:21
Finally, I can store Boolean values.
2:26
A Boolean represents a truth
value stored as a bit.
2:30
Remember that a bit can only be one
of two values, true or false, 1 or 0.
2:34
1 means true, 0 means false.
2:41
Think of a light switch as on or off, or
the answer to a question as yes or no.
2:45
Is the Nile River the longest
river in the world?
2:52
Are you over 25 years of age?
2:55
Is today Friday?
2:58
As you write code, you determine how
to store and use data in your program.
3:01
Don't worry, that's a discussion for
another time.
3:05
In the next video, I give you a brief
introduction to programming, stay tuned.
3:08
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