Theory of Errors in

Observations

Chapter 3
(continued)
 50, 90 and 95 Percent Errors

The 50% error or probable error establishes the limits within an observation has the same chance of falling
within the limits or outside of them.

The 90 and 95% errors are used to specify precisions required for surveying projects.

E50  0.6745
E90  1.6449
E95  1.9599
Error of a Sum

 Independently observed observations

– Measurements made using different equipment,
under different environmental conditions, etc.

ESum   Ea2  Eb2  Ec2  ...

Where E represents any specified percentage error

And a, b and c represent separate, independent
observations
Example:

 A line is observed in three sections with the lengths

1086.23 ± 0.05 ft, 569.08 ± 0.03 ft and 863.19 ± 0.04 ft.
Compute the total length and standard deviation for the
three sections.
 Solution:

ESum  (0.05) 2  (0.03)2  (0.04)2  0.07 ft

Length  1086.23  569.08  863.19  2,518.50 ft

Probable length = 2,518.50 ± 0.07 ft

Error of a Series

 Similar Quantities (Like Measurements)

– Measurements taken by the same equipment and
under the same environmental conditions

ESeries   E n

Where E represents the error in each individual

observation and n is the number of observations
Example:

 A field party is capable of making taping observations with

a standard deviation of ± 0.015 ft per 100-ft tape length.
What total standard deviation would be expected in a
distance of 500 ft taped by this party?

n = number of tape applications = 500’/100’ = 5

ESeries  0.015 5  0.03 ft

Probable length = 500.00 ± 0.03 ft

Error in a Product

E prod   A2 Eb2  B 2 Ea2

Ea and Eb are the respective errors in the sides A and B.

A
-Ea

B +Ea
- Eb

+Eb
Example:

 A rectangular plot of land is surveyed and the following

measurements are recorded: 2245.68 ± 0.12 ft by 664.21 ±
0.06 ft. What is the area of the plot in acres and its expected
error in square feet?

Area = (2245.68)(664.21) = 1,491,603.11 sf

Area in acres = 1,491,603.11 ÷ 43,560 = 34.24 acres

E prod  (2245.68) 2 (0.06)2  (664.21)2 (0.12)2  156.55sf

Error of the Mean

E
Em 
n

E is the specified percentage error of a single observation and n is

the number of observations

This equation shows that the error of the mean varies inversely as
the square root of the number of repetitions. In order to double the
accuracy of a set of measurements you must take four times as
many observations.
Weights of Observations

Precise observations should be weighted more heavily than less precise

observations.

____
MW 
 WM
W
MW is the weighted mean, W is the Weight assigned to each
measurement and M is the value of each measurement.

1 An equation can be deduced from this proportionality

Wa 2
a which computes the relative weight of measurements
based on their precision.
Weights of Observations (con.)

L
Wa 
a
These equations can be used to determine
the relative weights of measurements
L
Wb  based on their standard errors.
b

L
Wc 
c