Alteryx Foundation Micro-Credential Practice Exam

Which describes ordinal data specifically?

1. Data with no natural order

2. Data that represents categories with order

3. Data measured on a scale

4. Categorical data without comparison

The correct answer is: Data that represents categories with order

Ordinal data is characterized by its ability to represent categories that have a defined order or ranking. This type of data allows for a qualitative assessment of items based on their rank, but the differences between the ranks are not necessarily uniform or measurable. For example, a survey might ask participants to rate their satisfaction on a scale of "very dissatisfied," "dissatisfied," "neutral," "satisfied," and "very satisfied." In this scenario, while "satisfied" is higher than "neutral," the exact distance between "satisfied" and "very satisfied" is not precisely defined. The option indicating data with no natural order refers to nominal data, which simply categorizes without implying any rank. The option mentioning data measured on a scale pertains more to interval or ratio data, where not only is there order, but the distance between values is meaningful. Lastly, categorical data without comparison also refers to nominal data, where the categories are discrete without implying any ranking. The distinguishing feature of ordinal data lies in the inherent ranking among the categories, which is why the selection regarding categories with order is the accurate description.