Data comes from the plural of datum, a technical word that refers to a single piece of information. Data continues to function as a plural, especially in technical and formal writing, taking a plural verb and plural modifiers (such as these, many, a few).
In engineering and drafting, a datum is a reference point, surface, or axis on an object against which measurements are made. These are then referred to by one or more 'datum references' which indicate measurements that should be made with respect to the corresponding datum feature .
Datums are basically the starting point of any measurement—they keep measurements accurate throughout the manufacturing, the assembly, and the quality checks. 1. Primary Datums. When you measure a part, your first reference point, surface or line is a primary datum.
datum (plural (sense 1 and 2) data or (senses 3 and 4) datums) Something known or assumed as fact, and is made the basis of reasoning or inference which an intellectual system of any sort (such as knowledge or theoretical framework) is constructed.
Definition of datum noun in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
a real or assumed thing, used as a basis for calculations or measurements, as a level (also datum plane) from which elevations and depths are measured in surveying
GD&T Flatness is a common symbol that references how flat a surface is regardless of any other datum’s or features. It comes in useful if a feature is to be defined on a drawing that needs to be uniformly flat without tightening any other dimensions on the drawing.
There are two main datums in the United States. Horizontal datums measure positions (latitude and longitude) on the surface of the Earth, while vertical datums are used to measure land elevations and water depths.