Which data scale allows items to be ranked or ordered so that the numbers have a greater-than/less-than relationship but not necessarily equal intervals?

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

Answer: (C)

Think about ranking items where you know the order but you can’t assume equal gaps between points. That’s the hallmark of an ordinal scale. It lets you say one item is higher or lower than another, but you can’t quantify exactly how much difference there is between adjacent ranks. For example, a Likert-style survey or a class rank provides order without guaranteed equal spacing between levels.

Nominal scales have categories with no inherent order, so ordering isn’t possible. Interval scales do have ordered levels with equal intervals between them, though zero is not absolute. Ratio scales also have equal intervals and a true zero. Because the situation described requires ordering without assuming equal intervals, the ordinal scale is the best fit.