It is my opinion that you're just looking at a tree structure for data; calling it asbstract just means you're not looking at a concrete implementation - rather the idea of tree data structuring.
There are a couple of links below to get you started
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tree_(computer_science)
http://www.sqa.org.uk/e-learning/LinkedDS04CD/index.htm
WRT it being a data type, it depends on the language. Some have Tree Types in the language, C# for example, some require you to build your own.
I hope this helps - if not I'm sure someone much wiser than I will come along...
All built-in data types are not abstract data types.
"Abstract Data Type"
tree
Abstract data types or abstract base classes.
Decreases.
True - an instance of an abstract class cannot be created. False - derive (subclass) from a class, not the object (the instance).
Abstract Data Types An Abstract Data Type (ADT) is a data type that has been created by a programmer – i.e., it is not built-in in the programming language. As any other data types, an ADT is composed of a domain (the set of values belonging to the data type) and a collection of operations to manipulate such values. The only difference is that such data type will be constructed by the programmer. When we build an ADT we really want to apply the principles of encapsulation and information hiding mentioned earlier. This means that, once we have finished building the data type, we wish others to use the data type exclusively through the operations we provide, and in no other way. In particular, to protect our implementation and guarantee the ability to evolve software, we want to ensure that the implementation of the ADT is hidden from other users.
Abstract Data Type in computing is a set of data along with a set of predefined operations.The actual data inside the ADT is protected from direct manipulation. The exposed operations is the only way to manipulate the data.In easier terms, it is very much like (though not limited) to the objects in object oriented programming.
An Abstract Data Type is an interface that interacts with a data structure. A Data Structure is an implementation of the ADT. for example. If you were going to create a linked list you would create an Interface listing all the methods required by the list. Then in the linked list class you would code how the list uses these methods. Hope this helps :)
Abstract data typeA mathematical entity consisting of a set of values (the carrier set) and a collection of operations that manipulate them. For example, the Integer abstract data type consists of a carrier set containing the positive and negative whole numbers and 0, and a collection of operations manipulating these values, such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, equality comparison, and order comparison.AbstractionTo abstract is to ignore some details of a thing in favor of others. Abstraction is important in problem solving because it allows problem solvers to focus on essential details while ignoring the inessential, thus simplifying the problem and bringing to attention those aspects of the problem involved in its solution. Abstract data types are important in computer science because they provide a clear and precise way to specify what data a program must manipulate, and how the program must manipulate its data, without regard to details about how data are represented or how operations are implemented. Once an abstract data type is understood and documented, it serves as a specification that programmers can use to guide their choice of data representation and operation implementation, and as a standard for ensuring program correctness.Above retrieved from Answers.comViper1
A primitive data type is built into the language - int, char, long, etc. A non-primitive data type is am abstract data type that is built out of primitive data types - linked list, queue, stack, etc.
Objects are classes... It's the most abstract type of data.