cardinal variable

plural cardinal variables

1. A variable whose values are ordered, that can be multiplied by a scalar, and for which the magnitude of differences in values is meaningful.

   The least squares estimation treats happiness as a cardinal variable.

   2001, Bruno S. Frey with Alois Stutzer, Happiness and economics: how the economy and institutions affect well-being, page 185

   2 more examples

   In dealing with certainty choices, standard economic theory treats utility (intensity of preference) as an ordinal rather than a cardinal variable.

   1992, Jack Hirshleifer with John G. Riley, The analytics of uncertainty and information, page 14

   Life Satisfaction was handled as a cardinal variable, with values between one and seven, where one was assigned to the lowest level of satisfaction

   2007, Ian Gough with J. Allister McGregor, Wellbeing in developing countries: from theory to research, page 266