Which term describes data that indicates the presence or absence of a characteristic without any numerical value?

The term that accurately describes data indicating the presence or absence of a characteristic without numerical value is nominal data. Nominal data categorizes information without any inherent order or ranking. It involves grouping data into distinct categories based on attributes or qualities. For instance, data regarding a person's hair color or the type of pet they own falls into this category, as these characteristics can simply be identified as 'yes' or 'no' without any numerical context or measurable scale.

Quantitative data, in contrast, pertains to information that can be expressed numerically and often relates to measurements or counts, which is not applicable in this scenario. Qualitative data, while related, refers to descriptive data encompassing various attributes and characteristics, but does not specifically highlight the absence or presence of a characteristic in a nominal sense. Interval data involves numerical values with defined intervals but lacks a true zero point, making it unsuitable for identifying characteristics in a binary manner. Therefore, nominal data distinctly aligns with the need to indicate a characteristic's presence or absence without numerical value.