Question

Measurements can be described as accurate and/or precise. Define accuracy and precision and give examples of how those terms could be used to describe a measurement.

Answer 1

I will be happy to critique your thinking on this.

Answer 2

http://www.mathsisfun.com/accuracy-precision.html

Answer 3

Accuracy is how close a measured value is to the actual (true) value.
Precision is how close the measured values are to each other.


but how do they relate to measurement?

Answer 4

Look at the bullseye in the link I posted.

Answer 5

Accuracy is how close a measured value is to the actual (true) value.
Precision is how close the measured values are to each other.


Say you are shooting at a Target. You shoot five times, and they all hit the bulls eye near each other; this is accurate and precise, because they are all together and have hit the bulls eye.. However, if they hit one of the outside lines beyond the bulls eye in a cluster then they are precise, but not accurate, because you‘ve failed to hit the bulls eye. If one hits the bulls eye, but the rest don’t then this is accurate, but not precise, because they’re not all together.

Answer 6

How about making ten measurements the same with a short ruler.