Jane obtained a score of 16 out of 20 in a Mathematics test. Which level of measurement BEST describes Jane’s score?

Level of Measurement

In order to determine which level of measurement best describes Jane's score of 16 out of 20 in a Mathematics test, we need to consider the different levels of measurement: nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio.

1. Nominal Level: This level is used for labeling variables without any quantitative value. Examples include names or categories (e.g., colors, gender). Jane's score is not merely a label.

2. Ordinal Level: This level involves order but does not quantify the differences between levels. An example would be rankings (e.g., first, second, third). While Jane can be ranked by her score, the specific values hold more meaning.

3. Interval Level: This level has meaningful differences between values but does not have a true zero point. An example would be temperature in Celsius, where zero does not mean the absence of temperature. Jane's score reflects meaningful intervals between scores.

4. Ratio Level: This level possesses all the characteristics of the interval level but also has a true zero point, representing a total absence of the quantity measured. Examples include height, weight, and length. In the context of scores, a score of 0 out of 20 would indicate no knowledge or score at all.

Conclusion

Jane's score of 16 out of 20 is best described as a Ratio Level of measurement. This is because it has a meaningful zero point (0 out of 20) and the differences between scores are meaningful. For example, a score of 10 out of 20 is less than 16, and twice as much knowledge can be represented as well.