Question

At what level would the following variables be measured

a. Distances between town

b. Intelligence measured by an IQ test

c. The ranks ordering of members of a class based on height

d. The numbering of those with blue eyes1, brown eyes 2, green eyes 3, and other clolrs 4

Answer 1

• a. Distances between town-ratio level of measurement
• The factor which clearly defines a ratio scale is that it has a true zero point. The simplest example of a ratio scale is the measurement of length and distance
• Having zero length or zero distance means that there is no length and no distance but zero tempratue is not an absolute zero, as it certainly has its effect.
• b. Intelligence measured by an IQ test-interval level of measurement
• Interval scales have the properties of identity, magnitude, and equal distance. The equal distance between consecutive scale points allows us to know how many units greater than or less than one case is from another on the characteristic being measured.
• So we can always be confident that the meaning of the distance between 7 and 10 is the same as the distance between 42 and 45. Interval scales do not have a true zero point; the number "0" is arbitrary.An IQ (Intelligence Quotient) score from a standardized test of intelligences is a good example of an interval scale score.
• c. The ranks ordering of members of a class based on height-ordinal level of measurement
• This level of measurement depicts some ordered relationship among the variable’s observations. Suppose a student scores the highest grade of 100 in the class. In this case, he would be assigned the first rank. Then, another classmate scores the second highest grade of an 92; she would be assigned the second rank.
• d. The numbering of those with blue eyes1, brown eyes 2, green eyes 3, and other colours-nominal levl of measurement.
• The nominal level of measurement is the lowest of the four ways to characterize data. Nominal means "in name only" and that should help to remember what this level is all about. Nominal data deals with names, categories, or labels.
• Data at the nominal level is qualitative. Colors of eyes, yes or no responses to a survey, and favorite breakfast cereal all deal with the nominal level of measurement.