a scientist uses a ruler and take these measurements of the length of a desk: 10.8, 11.0, 10.9, 10.9 and 11.2. but the actual length of the table is 12.2. Are these measurement accurate or precise? Why?
2007-12-16 16:21:44 · 5 answers · asked by muzuizui 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
It is not accurate because the numbers are not constant. Precise depends on how the scientists reads the ruler. You can be precise and NOT accurate. (ex. your precise measurement of the table could be 11.9658 in. but it is not accurate because it is not constant.
2007-12-16 16:27:46 · answer #1 · answered by asiduhagu 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not accurate as the average of the five values are 10.96 which is 1.24 but the standard deviation is 0.15. The readings were precise as the difference between the five figures are close i.e. 10.8 to 11.2.
2007-12-16 17:01:32 · answer #2 · answered by Lau HL 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would be precise, since precision can be loosely defined as a low degree of difference in measurement. Accurate however implies being free of error.
2007-12-16 16:32:58 · answer #3 · answered by southcarolinapalmetto 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not accurate, but precise. The standard deviation about 0.1517. So, this is tight and precise data, it just is not too accurate
The mean was 10.96 of the above dat points.
2007-12-16 16:29:52 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The measurements are neither accurate nor precise. The average measurement is in error by 10.2%, and the 3Ï value of the measurements is 3.71%, which is more than an order of magnitude worse than "engineering precision", let alone "scientific precision".
2007-12-16 17:03:03 · answer #5 · answered by Helmut 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋