From the Latin datum, meaning what is given. What is known or assumed, and upon which conclusions can be drawn. Factual information in a form that can be input to, created by, processed by, stored in, and output by a computer. Data can take the form of characters such as letters, numbers, punctuation marks, mathematical operators, and control characters. Data also can take the form of photographic display elements, such as pixels. Note: Data is the plural form of the Latin datum, although data is used conversationally to represent both singular and plural.