Which data type is based on numeric scales with order and equal differences between values?

• A. Nominal data scale
• B. Ordinal data
• C. Interval data
• D. Percentile range

Answer: (C)

Intervals on a numeric scale have both order and equal spacing between values, which lets you meaningfully measure differences and apply arithmetic like addition and subtraction. This is what temperature scales such as Celsius or Fahrenheit illustrate: the difference from 20° to 25° is the same as from 0° to 5°, even though zero on these scales doesn't represent the absence of temperature. The key is that the spacing is consistent across the scale. Nominal data are just categories without any inherent order. Ordinal data have order but the gaps between levels aren’t guaranteed to be equal. A percentile range isn’t a standard data scale with evenly spaced intervals; it’s a way to describe position within a distribution. So the correct type described is interval data.