Arvoluvut

The term arvoluvut, a Finnish word meaning "value numbers," refers to the numeric representations assigned to values in a data set. The concept is used in documentation and software to describe the encoded form of data values, whether as integers, decimals, or other numeric identifiers.

In practice, arvoluvut serve as the numeric labels for categories (nominal data) or as representations that preserve order (ordinal data) or measure quantities (interval/ratio data). They are not necessarily meaningful on their own; for nominal data the numbers are labels, while for ordinal data the order of numbers conveys information.

Common examples include encoding gender as 0/1, education level as 1–5, or a continuous measurement like height as 172.3. The choice of encoding affects analysis and interpretation, especially for distance-based methods or when combining variables across scales.

Data dictionaries and statistical software often refer to arvoluvut as the numeric codes attached to values, with a separate description that maps each code to its label. Best practices include keeping a lookup table, documenting whether arvoluvut are ordinal, and avoiding implying a magnitude for nominal codes.

See also: arvo, luku, datan käsittely, tilastotiede, muuttuja.