[Solved] Most reliable scale of measurement is: (2024)

Measurement is a process of quantifying the degree to which someone or something possessed a given trait, i.e., quality, characteristics, or features.

• Measurement assigns a numeral to quantify certain aspects of human and non-human beings. It is a numerical description of objects, traits, attributes, characteristics, or behaviors.

Important Points

• Whenever we measure anything, we assign a numerical value. This numerical value is known as thescale of measurement. A scale is a system or scheme for assigning values or scores to the characteristics being measured.
• There are mainly four scales of measurement, namely: nominal, ordinal interval, and ratio.

Ratio scale :

• The ratioscale is called the highest scale in measurement.It is themost reliable scaleofmeasurement.
• It carries all the characteristics of earlier discussed scales with a true or absolute zero point.
• Example: Measurement of height, weight, speed, distance, etc. A distance of 100 meters is exactly twice to 50 meters.
• All mathematical applications - addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division can be done on a ratio scale. All statistical techniques are permissible with a ratio scale.

Thus, it is concluded that themost reliable scale of measurement is Ratio.

Additional InformationNominal scale :

• It classifies people or objects into various categories, classes, or sets. One set or group is assigned one number for a common trait/characteristic among all members of the group/set.
• Example: Male and female, assigning numbers like 1 for education, 2 for psychology, 3 for commerce, etc.
• These numbers could not be added, subtracted, ranked, or manipulated statistically.

Ordinal scale :

• It ranks people or objects according to the amount of a characteristic they have
• Example:Ranking of learners according to their height from tallest to shortest, or on some trait from most to least or vice-versa.
• Percentile ranks, age equivalence, or grade equivalence can be used.

Interval:

• It ranks people or objects on a scale of equal units.
• Example:Achievement, performance, IQ score, etc are examples of this measurement. (IQ score of 100 does not mean that this person is two times more intelligent than a person with an IQ score of 50).
• Most statistical formulas can be applied to such measurements.