What scale of measurement is used when the data is divided into ranges and in which the distance bet.ween the intervals is meaningful
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The scale of measurement you are referring to is called an "interval scale" or "interval measurement." In this scale, data is divided into ranges or intervals, where the distance between each interval is meaningful and consistent throughout the entire scale.
To understand how to determine the scale of measurement, we need to consider the properties of each scale. There are four levels of measurement: nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio.
1. Nominal scale: This is the lowest level of measurement, where data is categorized into distinct labels or categories. Examples would be colors, gender, or categories like "yes" and "no." In a nominal scale, there is no inherent order or numerical value associated with the categories.
2. Ordinal scale: In the ordinal scale, data is categorized and arranged in a particular order. However, the differences between each category are not quantifiable. For example, rating scales (e.g., ranking movies from 1 to 5 stars) fall into the ordinal category. The order of the categories matters, but we cannot determine the magnitude of the differences between them.
3. Interval scale: Here, the intervals between values are meaningful and consistent, but there is no true zero point. Temperature is often cited as an example of an interval scale. We can measure differences in temperature (e.g., the difference between 20°C and 30°C is the same as the difference between 30°C and 40°C), but zero degrees on the Celsius or Fahrenheit scales does not represent the complete absence of temperature.
4. Ratio scale: In the ratio scale, the intervals between values are meaningful, and there is a true zero point. This scale possesses all the characteristics of the previous scales, and the ratio of two values is meaningful and can be compared. Examples of ratio scales include height, weight, and time. Zero in these cases represents the complete absence of the attribute being measured.
Therefore, in your question, an interval scale is used when the data is divided into ranges, and the distance between the intervals is meaningful. This means that the intervals have equal spacing and are consistent throughout the scale. To determine this, you would need to examine the nature of the measurement and understand whether the intervals between the values have a meaningful and consistent interpretation.