Verhältnismaßskalen

Verhältnismaßskalen, also known as ratio scales, represent the highest level of measurement in statistics. They are characterized by a true zero point, meaning the absence of the attribute being measured. This true zero point allows for meaningful comparisons of ratios between values. For instance, a weight of 10 kilograms is twice as heavy as a weight of 5 kilograms, and a temperature of 0 degrees Celsius does not represent the absence of heat.

The key properties of a Verhältnismaßskala are:

1. Order: Values can be ranked from least to greatest.

2. Equal Intervals: The distance between any two consecutive values is constant and meaningful.

3. True Zero: The zero point signifies the complete absence of the measured quantity.

Because of the true zero, arithmetic operations such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division are all permissible and interpretable on Verhältnismaßskalen. This makes them highly versatile for statistical analysis. Examples of variables measured on a ratio scale include height, weight, age, income, duration, and distance. For instance, a person's height of 180 cm is twice that of a person who is 90 cm tall. Similarly, a time duration of 2 hours is three times longer than a duration of 40 minutes. The ability to make statements about how many times greater or smaller one value is compared to another is a defining feature of ratio scales.