def get_cell_type(cell):
    '''
    Returns a type to be used in table cell analysis. This is either
    'basestring' or '(int, float)'.
    '''
    cell_type = None
    if isinstance(cell, basestring) and cell:
        cell_type = basestring
    elif isinstance(cell, (int, float)):
        cell_type = (int, float)

    return cell_type