A set of 250-g masses is placed one at a time on a digital balance during quality control testing. The mass reading are 197 g, 198 g, 196 g. Describe the accuracy and precision of the scale. (1 point)

Question

A Both accurate and precise
B Neither accurate or precise
C Accurate but not precise
D Precise but not accurate

Answer 1

To assess the accuracy and precision of the scale based on the given mass readings of 197 g, 198 g, and 196 g, we can define the terms:

• Accuracy refers to how close the measured values are to the true value (in this case, 250 g).
• Precision refers to how close the measured values are to each other.

1. Accuracy: The readings (197 g, 198 g, and 196 g) are far from the true mass of 250 g, indicating that the scale is not accurate.

2. Precision: The readings are close to each other, as they are all around 197 g. This indicates that the scale is precise.

Based on this analysis, the answer would be:

D: Precise but not accurate.