The idea of quantitative refers to the quantity of something, that is, its number. Everything that is possible to measure through a numerical value is something quantitative. Thus, the capacity of a stadium, the values of the stock market or the people who take part in a demonstration have something in common, since above all this a certain amount can be established.
The quantitative indicates only a sense of quantity, but in a very open way; It can be large amounts of something or a very small number.
As is often the case, an idea is best understood in relation to its opposing idea. In this sense, the quantitative is opposed to the qualitative. While in the first area what is relevant is quantity, in the second the most significant is quality. If someone refers to the friends they have, they will say a specific figure, but if they talk about friendship, the approach is qualitative, since it is a concept whose value is not measurable in numerical terms.
Statistics, a discipline that serves to quantify
If a demographer needs to carry out a study on the population of a country, he will necessarily have to resort to a tool, statistics. Through a series of operations, values are indicated on the population (percentages, averages and various data). All of this is strictly quantitative. With the information obtained it is possible to draw conclusions. Let's take a concrete example related to the demographics of a country. After the statistical study, it can be seen that the infant mortality rate presents very high rates compared to other countries in the same geographical environment. This statistical data, which initially has a quantitative value, communicates an idea with a qualitative dimension, since it refers to human life. This example serves to illustrate an idea: that the quantitative and the qualitative are not separate spheres but are closely related.
The quantitative in sport
An elite athlete needs to know a series of parameters about his organism: red blood cells, heart rate, maximum oxygen volume and many others. From these data it is possible to plan a training program. However, there is an immeasurable aspect that is decisive, personal motivation. This explains that in the physical preparation of athletes there is a combination of both aspects (the doctor would supervise all the numerical values and the coach and the psychologist would be in charge of working on motivation).
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