In the get-up-and-go test, time is measured in seconds. What type of data is this?

In the get-up-and-go test, time is measured in seconds. What type of data is this?

• A. Nominal
• B. Ordinal
• C. Continuous (ratio)
• D. Discrete

Answer: (C)

Time in seconds is a measurement on a continuous ratio scale. The zero point means none of the quantity (no time elapsed), so ratios are meaningful (twice as long is twice the time). The intervals are equal across the scale, so differences and means make sense. Because time can be measured to fractions of a second, it isn’t restricted to whole-number steps, which would suggest discreteness. Nominal data are categories without order, and ordinal data have order without equal intervals, neither of which fit time measurements. So the best description is continuous (ratio).

Time in seconds is a measurement on a continuous ratio scale. The zero point means none of the quantity (no time elapsed), so ratios are meaningful (twice as long is twice the time). The intervals are equal across the scale, so differences and means make sense. Because time can be measured to fractions of a second, it isn’t restricted to whole-number steps, which would suggest discreteness. Nominal data are categories without order, and ordinal data have order without equal intervals, neither of which fit time measurements. So the best description is continuous (ratio).