Data Types in R Programming

Data Types in R Programming Language

There are the following data types in R Programming Language.

Numeric Data Type

For numerical values, there is the numeric data type. It is a standard data type in r programming for numbers.

The following are some examples of numerical values: 2, 25.4, -45.253, 48.02, etc.

Code 

num <- -250
class(num)
typeof(num)

Output 

Note: R transforms a number into a "double" or a decimal type with a minimum of two decimal places before storing it in a variable. As a result, a value like "10" is stored as "10.00" with the type "double" and the class "numeric." 

Integer Data Type

The Integer data type represents integer values. We must specify a value as an integer to store it as one. The integer data type is frequently employed for discrete-only values like unique IDs. The as.integer() function allows us to store and convert a value into an integer type. 

Code 

 int <- as.integer(16)
 class(int)
 typeof(int)
 int2 <- as.integer(20)
 class(int2)
 typeof(int2)

Output 

Note: To indicate that a specific value is of the integer data type, we can alternatively use the capital "L" notation.

Code 

 int <- 16L
 class(int)
 typeof(int) 

Output 

Complex Data Type

Complex data types in r programming are used to hold numbers that have fictitious components. Complex values include things like 2+3i, 1i, 5-4i, etc. 

Code 

comp <- 22-6i
class(comp)
typeof(comp)

Output 

Logical Data Type

Logical data types in R programming accept either a true or false value. It is common to compare two variables to arrive at a logical value. 

Code 

logi <- FALSE
class(logi)
typeof(logi)

Output 

Character Data Type

Character data types in r programming are used to hold strings or character values. R allows for using symbols, numbers, and the alphabet in strings. Wrapping data in one or two inverted commas is the easiest way to indicate in R that it is of the character type. 

Code 

char <- "dataflair1234"
class(char)
typeof(char)

Output 

Note: The as.character() function can also be used to convert a value to the character data type or to store it as a character.

Code 

char2 <- as.character("helloNinja")
char2
class(char2)
typeof(char2)

Output 

Raw Data Type

Values are specified as raw bytes in a raw data type. The methods listed below can change a character data type into a raw one and vice versa. 

• charToRaw() - converts character data to raw data
   
• rawToChar() - converts raw data to character data
   

Code

# convert character to raw byte
rawVariable <- charToRaw("Welcome to Coding Ninjas")

print(rawVariable)
print(class(rawVariable))

# convert raw bytes to character
charVariable <- rawToChar(rawVariable)

print(charVariable)
print(class(charVariable))

Output 

Coerce the Data Type of an Object to Another

In R, you can convert or "coerce" the data type of an object to another type using various functions like as.numeric(), as.character(), as.logical(), and so on. This process allows you to change the type of data stored in an object to suit your needs. For example, if you have a character string representing numbers, you can coerce it to numeric type for mathematical operations. Similarly, you can convert numeric values to character strings or logical values as required. Coercion is a powerful feature in R that enables flexible data manipulation and analysis.

You can also read about mock interview.

Find Data Type of an Object in R

To find the data type of an object in R, use the class() or typeof() function.

• class(object): Returns the object's class (e.g., "numeric," "character").
   
• typeof(object): Returns the underlying type of the object (e.g., "double," "integer").

Example:

x <- 42
class(x)    # Output: "numeric"
typeof(x)   # Output: "double"

Explanation

The class() function gives the high-level classification of the object, while typeof() provides its internal storage type. Together, they help understand and debug object behavior.

Coerce or Convert the Data Type of an Object to Another

In R, you can coerce an object's data type using coercion functions like as.numeric(), as.character(), as.factor(), etc.

Example:

x <- "42"          # x is a character
y <- as.numeric(x) # y is now numeric

Explanation

Coercion is the process of converting one data type to another, allowing compatibility with specific functions or analyses. R provides various as.*() functions for explicit type conversion. Use with care, as invalid coercions (e.g., as.numeric("text")) can lead to warnings or NA values.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 4 data structures in R?

The four main data structures in R are vectors, matrices, lists, and data frames. These structures organize and store data in different ways, providing flexibility for various analytical tasks.

How to find data type in R?

Use class(object) to determine the class (e.g., "numeric") or typeof(object) to find the internal type (e.g., "double") of an object.

How to type in data in R?

Data can be entered using functions like c() for vectors, matrix() for matrices, and data.frame() or tibble() for structured data.

Conclusion

In this article, we discussed the data types in r programming. Understanding R data types lays the foundation for effective data manipulation and analysis. From numeric and character to factors and lists, each data type serves a unique purpose in R programming.

To study more about data types, refer to Abstract Data Types in C++ and Data Types in C++.

Also check out the Interview guide for Product Based Companies as well as some of the Popular interview problems from top tech companies like Amazon, Adobe, Google, Uber, Microsoft, etc.

Refer to our guided pathways on Code studio to learn more about Competitive Programming, JavaScript, System Design, DSA C++, etc. Enroll in our courses, and use the accessible sample exams and questions as a guide. For placement preparations, look at the Top 150 Interview Puzzles, interview experiences and interview package.