Final answer:
The reference-grouping technique is commonly used with ordinal-level variables, while it may not be necessary for ratio-level variables. Therefore, all the given options are equally likely.
Step-by-step explanation:
The reference-grouping technique is most commonly used with ordinal-level variables. This technique involves classifying the categories of an ordinal variable into two or more groups for analysis. By comparing the groups, we can determine if there are any differences in the variable's effects.
Using the reference-grouping technique with nominal-level variables doesn't make sense because the categories are not ordered. For ratio-level variables, such as height or weight, the reference-grouping technique may not be necessary as the values already have a meaningful zero point and can be analyzed directly.
Therefore, the correct answer is d.) all are equally likely.