What is the interval in a data set of readings?

• A. Distance between consecutive readings.
• B. Total range of the data.
• C. Width of the measurement instrument.
• D. Average deviation.

Answer: (A)

The interval is the spacing between one reading and the next in the ordered data. It tells you how far apart successive measurements are. For example, if you record every minute and get 20.0, 20.2, 20.4, the interval is 0.2 between each reading. This concept is about how far apart consecutive values are, not the overall spread of the data (that would be the range), not the instrument’s width, and not how far readings average away from the mean (average deviation).