Question

question 3 (1 point)
determine which of the four levels of measurement (nominal, ordinal, interval, ratio) is most appropriate.
the temperatures of eight different plastic spheres.
nominal
ordinal
interval
ratio
question 4 (1 point) saved
determine whether the given description corresponds to an observational study or an experiment.
a stock analyst selects a stock from a group of twenty for investment by choosing the stock with the greatest earnings per share reported for the last quarter.
experiment
observational study

Explanation:

Question 3

1. Nominal: Used for categorizing data with no order or numerical value (e.g., colors, names). Temperatures are numerical, so not nominal.
2. Ordinal: Involves ordered categories (e.g., ranks, grades) but differences between values aren’t meaningful. Temperatures have meaningful differences, so not ordinal.
3. Interval: Numerical data with consistent intervals, but no true zero (e.g., temperature in °C/°F, where 0 doesn’t mean “no temperature”). Temperatures (like in °C or °F) fit this: differences are meaningful, but 0°C isn’t “no temperature.”
4. Ratio: Has a true zero (e.g., height, weight, temperature in Kelvin where 0 K is absolute zero). Since the problem doesn’t specify Kelvin (and typical temperature measurements here are likely interval), interval is more appropriate.

• Observational Study: Involves observing/measuring without manipulating variables. The analyst is selecting a stock based on existing (reported) earnings data—no manipulation (e.g., no treatment or intervention) is done.
• Experiment: Requires manipulating a variable (e.g., assigning groups to different conditions). Here, the analyst is just observing reported earnings, so it’s an observational study.

Answer:

C. Interval

Question 4