Prepare for the Critical Inquiry Exam 2 with flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Each question includes hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Multiple Choice

Ratio and interval scales are often referred to as which type of data?

Ratio and interval scales are numeric measurement levels that yield data along a continuum. Because you can always insert a more precise value between any two measurements, these data are continuous rather than discrete. This is what sets them apart from discrete data, which are counts with distinct, separate values, and from categorical data, which are labels without numeric meaning. Binary data is just a two-category special case of discrete data. So, interval and ratio measurements are best described as continuous data. For context, interval scales have equal intervals between values but no true zero, while ratio scales also have a true zero; in both cases the measurements can be subdivided indefinitely, reinforcing their continuous nature.

Ratio and interval scales are numeric measurement levels that yield data along a continuum. Because you can always insert a more precise value between any two measurements, these data are continuous rather than discrete. This is what sets them apart from discrete data, which are counts with distinct, separate values, and from categorical data, which are labels without numeric meaning. Binary data is just a two-category special case of discrete data. So, interval and ratio measurements are best described as continuous data. For context, interval scales have equal intervals between values but no true zero, while ratio scales also have a true zero; in both cases the measurements can be subdivided indefinitely, reinforcing their continuous nature.