Data (What Is Data?)

How many teddy bears are on your bed. One, two, three. Is the sky blue or gray today. What is your favorite yummy snack. I am the answer to all of these questions. I am the number of your bears. I am the color of the sky. I am the name of your snack. Hello. People call me Data. I'm all the little bits of information that help you know about your world.

I have been around for a very, very, very long time. Thousands of years ago, before there were big houses or fast cars, people used me to remember important things. They would make little scratches on bones or soft clay to count how many sunny days went by. They made marks to remember how many berries they picked. This was me, helping them keep track of everything. It was just like when you make a mark on the wall to see how tall you are growing. I helped them remember and plan for yummy food and sunny days.

Now, I am everywhere, and I help you play and learn. When you play a game on a tablet, I am the one who remembers your high score. When you look at an app to see if it is a sunny day for the park, you see me as a happy sun picture. I am all the facts and numbers that help you learn and grow. When you count your colorful toys or tell a friend your favorite color, you are using me to share your wonderful world with everyone.