Which data scale has categories that are ordered but distances between ranks are not uniform?

Which data scale has categories that are ordered but distances between ranks are not uniform?

• A. Nominal
• B. Interval
• C. Ordinal
• D. Ratio

Answer: (C)

When data are ordered but the gaps between categories aren’t the same, you’re looking at an ordinal scale. You can tell which category ranks higher, but you can’t assume equal distances between ranks. This contrasts with nominal data (no inherent order), interval data (ordered with equal intervals but no true zero), and ratio data (ordered with equal intervals and a true zero). A classic example is a Likert-style rating like “poor, fair, good, excellent”—you can say one rating is higher than another, but the difference between ratings isn’t guaranteed to be uniform.

When data are ordered but the gaps between categories aren’t the same, you’re looking at an ordinal scale. You can tell which category ranks higher, but you can’t assume equal distances between ranks. This contrasts with nominal data (no inherent order), interval data (ordered with equal intervals but no true zero), and ratio data (ordered with equal intervals and a true zero). A classic example is a Likert-style rating like “poor, fair, good, excellent”—you can say one rating is higher than another, but the difference between ratings isn’t guaranteed to be uniform.