Question

What is a nominal scale?

What is an interval scale?

Answer 1

1. A Nominal Scale is a measurement scale, in which numbers serve as “tags” or “labels” only, to identify an object.
2. A nominal scale measurement normally deals only with (quantitative) variables or where numbers have no value.

• Below is an example of Nominal level of measurement.

• Please select the degree of discomfort of the disease:

• 1-Mild

2-Moderate

3-Severe

In this particular example, 1=Mild, 2=Moderate, and 3=Severe. Here numbers are simply used as tags and have no value.

1. The interval scale of measurement is a type of measurement scale that is characterized by equal intervals between scale units.

A perfect example of an interval scale is the Fahrenheit scale to measure temperature. The scale is made up of equal temperature units, so that the difference between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit is equal to the difference between 50 and 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

• With an interval scale, you know not only whether different values are bigger or smaller, you also know how much bigger or smaller they are