Which of the following is a characteristic of the ordinal scale?

The characteristic of the ordinal scale that is accurate is that it ranks data but does not measure precise differences between the ranks. In an ordinal scale, data can be arranged in a specific order to indicate relative positions, such as ranking preferences or levels of satisfaction. For example, in a survey, responses might be ranked as "satisfied," "neutral," or "dissatisfied," providing insight into the order of preference among the options.

However, the ordinal scale does not quantify the differences between these ranks. The gap between "satisfied" and "neutral" may not be the same as the gap between "neutral" and "dissatisfied," meaning that while we know which ranks are higher or lower, we can't determine the exact distance or difference in value between them. This lack of precise measurement between ranks is a key feature that distinguishes the ordinal scale from other scales that do provide exact distances.