A frequency distribution graph represents frequencies with vertical bars without space between them. What scale of measurement was used to measure the scores?

A frequency distribution graph represents frequencies with vertical bars without space between them. What scale of measurement was used to measure the scores?

• A. Nominal
• B. Ordinal
• C. Nominal or ordinal
• D. Interval or ratio

Answer: (D)

Touching bars in a frequency distribution indicate a histogram, which is used for quantitative, continuous data that vary along a numeric scale. Nominal data are categories without order, and ordinal data have order but not necessarily equal intervals; those kinds of data are not represented well by a histogram with bars that touch. The numeric scores imply measurements with equal intervals, so the appropriate scale is interval or ratio.

Touching bars in a frequency distribution indicate a histogram, which is used for quantitative, continuous data that vary along a numeric scale. Nominal data are categories without order, and ordinal data have order but not necessarily equal intervals; those kinds of data are not represented well by a histogram with bars that touch. The numeric scores imply measurements with equal intervals, so the appropriate scale is interval or ratio.