CHAPTER 7

1. What are the essential differences among nominal, ordinal, interval and ratio scales?
 Nominal scale consists of categorizing items into groups.
 Ordinal scale has a logical or ordered relationship to each other.

 Interval scale is also known as rating scale and variables (attributes) are measured on
different scales such as scale of 1 to 5 or 1 to 7 or 1 to 10.

 Ratio scale possesses all the properties of nominal, ordinal and interval scale, and
in addition, an absolute zero point.
 Age is an example of ratio scale.
 Physical measurements such as height, weight and length are typically
ratio variables.
 Years of participation, sales figures, quantities purchased and market share
are all expressed on a ratio scale.

2. A valid instrument is always reliable, but a reliable instrument may not always be
valid. Comment on this statement.