Which data type is described as values that follow a ranking but do not support arithmetic operations?

• A. Nominal data
• B. Ordinal data
• C. Interval data
• D. Ratio data

Answer: (B)

Values that follow a ranking but don’t support arithmetic operations are ordinal data. You can order items from lowest to highest (or from least to most), like a satisfaction rating from 1 to 5 or a race finish order, but you can’t meaningfully add or subtract those values or say that one difference equals another. The distances between ranks aren’t guaranteed to be equal, so arithmetic isn’t meaningful.

Nominal data, by contrast, have categories with no inherent order. Interval data have equal intervals between values and allow arithmetic differences, though they lack a true zero. Ratio data have both equal intervals and a true zero, enabling a full set of arithmetic operations.