Chapter II
Measurement
2.1 Accuracy and Precision
Accuracy and Precision are associated with
measurement.
Accuracy is the closeness of a
measurement to the true value of the
quantity being measured.
Precision is the closeness of agreement
of two or more measurements of the same
quantity.
Base on (Fig 2.1) dart boards 1 and 2 shows
accuracy, since a players target is the
bull’s-eye it serves as the true value given
on the figure. The darts are close enough to
the bull’s-eye which is our true. Accuracy
deals with the true value of objects or any
subject is measured.
Fig 2.1
Accurate and Precise Accurate but
not Precise
In figure 2.2 dart boards 3 and 4 show
precision since the bull’s-eye is our true
value and the darts are far from true value
it is not accurate, but the value or
measurements between the darts are close
enough with each other. Dart board 1 is
precise because the measurement or
distance of the darts are close to each
other.
Figure 2.2
Precise but not Accurate Neither
Accurate
nor Precise
Example:
Two students are assigned to measure the
length of the same sheet of paper. The
length of the paper is 15.50 cm. The
students are given three trials to measure
the paper; the results of the trials of the two
students are:
Table 2.1 Measurements of students A and B
showing accuracy and precission.
Student A Student B
Trial 1 15.50 cm. 15.54 cm.
Trial 2 15.49 cm. 15.50 cm.
Trial 3 15.50 cm. 15.54 cm.
Average 15.497 cm. 15.53 cm.
The table above shows that between the data
obtained by Student A and Student B, the
one that has an accurate and precise data is
Student A. It is accurate because the average
of all the trials are close to the true value
which is 15.50 cm. and it is precise since
agreement between the measurements of
trials are close enough to each other.
Students B’s data are neither accurate nor
precise. The average is higher than the true
value and one of the measurements has a
big difference between the two
measurements.
