Ordinal Variables. A discrete ordinal variable resembles a nominal variable, except that the M states of the ordinal value are ordered in a meaningful sequence. It is very useful for registering subjective assessments of qualities that cannot be measured objectively. For example, professional ranks are often enumerated in a sequential order, such as assistant, associate, and full. A continuous ordinal variable looks like a set of continuous data of an unknown scale that is the relative ordering of the values is essential but not their actual magnitude. The treatment of ordinal variable is quite similar to that of interval-scaled variables when computing the dissimilarity between objects