Which statement is true about interval data?

Which statement is true about interval data?

• A. There is no true zero
• B. Distances between values can be measured and differences are meaningful
• C. Ratios are meaningful
• D. Data are always counts

Answer: (B)

Interval data have equal intervals between adjacent values, so the actual differences between scores are meaningful. This means you can measure how much one score differs from another and interpret that amount in the same units across the scale. An everyday example is a temperature scale like Celsius: moving from 20 to 30 degrees represents the same change as moving from 60 to 70 degrees. Because the zero on interval scales is arbitrary, you can compare differences but not ratios (for instance, you can say the difference is 10 degrees, but you cannot claim that 20°C is twice as hot as 10°C). This makes the statement about meaningful distances and differences the best description of interval data. Ratios aren’t meaningful on interval scales, and data aren’t restricted to counts.

Interval data have equal intervals between adjacent values, so the actual differences between scores are meaningful. This means you can measure how much one score differs from another and interpret that amount in the same units across the scale. An everyday example is a temperature scale like Celsius: moving from 20 to 30 degrees represents the same change as moving from 60 to 70 degrees. Because the zero on interval scales is arbitrary, you can compare differences but not ratios (for instance, you can say the difference is 10 degrees, but you cannot claim that 20°C is twice as hot as 10°C). This makes the statement about meaningful distances and differences the best description of interval data. Ratios aren’t meaningful on interval scales, and data aren’t restricted to counts.