Ratiogegevens

Ratiogegevens, a German term, translates to "ratio data" in English. It represents the highest level of measurement on the Stevens' scales of measurement. Ratio data possesses all the properties of interval data, including equal intervals between values, but it also has a true, meaningful zero point. This true zero indicates the complete absence of the quantity being measured.

The presence of a true zero allows for the calculation of ratios between measurements. For example, a length of 10 meters is twice as long as a length of 5 meters. This is not possible with interval data, where the zero point is arbitrary. Temperature scales like Celsius and Fahrenheit are examples of interval data; a temperature of 0 degrees Celsius does not mean the absence of heat. However, temperature on the Kelvin scale is ratio data because 0 Kelvin represents absolute zero, the absence of all thermal energy.

Examples of ratio data include height, weight, age, time, distance, and income. Because ratio data allows for arithmetic operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division, it provides the greatest flexibility for statistical analysis. Techniques such as calculating the geometric mean and coefficient of variation are appropriate for ratio data. Understanding ratiogegevens is crucial for selecting the correct statistical methods and drawing accurate conclusions from quantitative research.