Question

What statements best define percent error? Check all that apply.

It is a mathematical way of showing accuracy.
The higher the percent error, the more accurate the data set.
The higher the percent error, the less accurate the data set.
Only the experimental value is needed to calculate percent error.
Only the actual, or accepted, value is needed to calculate percent error.
A percent error always has a positive value.

Answer 1

Correct answers:
- It is a mathematical way of showing accuracy. (True.)
- The higher the percent error, the less accurate the data set. (True.)

Why the others are false or misleading:
- "The higher the percent error, the more accurate..." — false (higher error = less accurate).
- "Only the experimental value is needed..." — false (you need both experimental and accepted values).
- "Only the actual, or accepted, value is needed..." — false (you need both).
- "A percent error always has a positive value." — misleading: percent error is defined using an absolute value so it is never negative (non‑negative), but it can be zero if the experimental and accepted values match exactly.