Ratio Data
GMAT glossary · Data Insights
Definition
Quantitative data on a scale with a true (meaningful) zero point, so that both differences and ratios between values are meaningful (e.g., weight, length, time elapsed).
Ratio Data in plain English
Ratio data is number data measured on a scale where zero truly means 'none of it', things like weight, length, or time elapsed. Because zero is real, you can meaningfully say one value is 'twice' another: 20 kg really is double 10 kg, and 0 kg means no weight at all. Contrast that with temperature in Fahrenheit, where 0 degrees isn't 'no temperature' and 80 degrees isn't 'twice as hot' as 40, that scale lacks a true zero, so it isn't ratio data. The true-zero is what unlocks honest ratios.
Sign up free: all 257 GMAT terms as flashcards, plus practice questions with full explanations →
Related GMAT terms
GMAT practice questions · GMAT flashcards · GMAT study guide