1-datum.org

datum

A single piece of information. One fact or observation. The singular form of "data," though many people say "data" for both one and many.

What a model may hear

single data point statistics and machine learning: treat the input as one training example, one row, or one observation in a dataset
geodetic reference frame geography and cartography: assume the user means a coordinate system or map reference like NAD83 or WGS84
database record databases and information systems: interpret the request as about one record, tuple, or entry in a table
linguistic object formal grammar and logic: treat it as a minimal unit of meaning or a primitive value in a formal system

“I need a datum for my report”

Meant: one fact or number to include

May be taken as: search for geodetic datums or database schemas

Say instead: “I need one fact or statistic to cite in my report”

“Store this datum”

Meant: save this one piece of information

May be taken as: design a database table with one row or ask for a primary key

Say instead: “Save this single piece of information for me”

“What datum should I use?”

Meant: which fact is correct

May be taken as: explain map projection coordinate systems

Say instead: “Which of these facts is the correct one to use?”

“The datum shows an error”

Meant: the number or fact is wrong

May be taken as: diagnose GPS coordinate reference system errors

Say instead: “This single number or fact appears to be wrong”

Say "one fact" or "single piece of information" instead of "datum" when you do not mean maps or databases
If you mean geodesy, say "coordinate system" or "map datum" explicitly
Use "data point" when speaking to a model about statistics or machine learning
Say "one row" or "single record" for databases, not "datum"
If you must use "datum," add context like "one datum from my survey" to steer away from geodesy