Science, Technology Engineering, and Mathematics

General Physics 1
Lesson 2
Accuracy and Precision
1. Differentiate accuracy and precision.
(STEM-GP12EU-la2)
2. Differentiate random errors from systemic
errors. (STEM-GP12EU-la3)
3. Estimate errors from multiple
measurements of physical quantity.
(STEM-GP12EU-la4)
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Agood result of measurement is achieve if error

made is less or limited.
 Accuracyand Precision are prime consideration in
every measurement made.
 Errorsin measurement are unavoidable due to
several factors and it can be random or systematics
depending on how measurement is made
 Factors why error occur in every
measurement

1. The kind of measuring device use.

2. Methods in getting the measurement.
3. Condition under which the
measurement is made.
 Types of Error

1. Random Error or unsystematic error.

Random error has no pattern, it is inconsistent.

Ex. In your first reading, you taught it might be too small,

then the next reading might be too large. So nobody can
predict random error and this cannot be avoided, even
scientist doing their experiments.
 Types of Error

2. Systematic Error. Systematic error

is consistent and repeatable error due
to the kind of measuring device used as
mentioned above. It is due to flawed
experimental design.
 To minimize errors in
measurement, more trials must be
made.

The mean or average value of these trials will

be taken to represent the entire set of data.
From this, the degree of accuracy and
precision can be determined.
 Accuracy

 Accuracyis the closeness or nearness of

measurement to the accepted value.
 Inthe imaginary dart game, the bullseye is the
accepted value. The closer your measurement to
the accepted value, the more accurate is your
measurement.
 Accuracy is express in terms of absolute error or
percentage of error
 Accuracy
 Accuracy is express in terms of absolute error or percentage of
error.
Percentage of error x 100%
AE= l O-A l
Indicates how near is the measured
Where: value to the accepted value. As the
AE – absolute error percent error increases, the accuracy
of the measurement decreases. In
O- observed value/measure value most cases, measurements with
A- accepted value percent error lower than 10% is
considered to have a high accuracy.
The parallel lines indicates that
the value is absolute. Percentage of accuracy = 100% - % of error
Example: An experiment dropped a stone from a 5 story building and
hit the ground, taking the time to fall of 3 seconds. Based from the
date collected, the experimenter was able to measure the
acceleration of the stone to be 9.7 m/s2. the actual value of the
acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 m/s2. what is the percentage of
accuracy of the experimenter?

Given: Percentage of error x 100%

Accepted Value (A) = 9.8 m/s2
Observed Value (O) = 9.7 m/s2 x 100%
Solution:
= 1.02 %
AE= l O-A l
= 9.7 m/s2 - 9.8 m/s2 Percentage of accuracy = 100% - % of
error
0.1 m/s2 = 100% - 1.02%

= 98.98%
 Precision

 Precision
is the agreement of several
measurements made in the same way.
 In illustration no. 3 of the dart game , the darts
flocked in almost the same area, though far from
the bullseye, we can say that the measurements
are precise.
 Precisionis express in terms of deviation or
percentage of deviation.
 Precision
 Formula to determine the precision of one’s measurement.

AD= l O-M l

Where:
AD – absolute deviation
O- observed value/measure value % of deviation x 100%
M- mean of several measurements

Percentage of precision = 100% - % of deviation

The parallel lines indicates that the
value is absolute.
 Precision
Example: 4 group of students worked in separate teams and do an
experiment about falling bodies. Each team work to measure the length of
an object.
Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4
3.44 cm 3.84 cm 3.68 cm 3.95 cm

What is the percentage of precision of the groups?

Step 1: Get the mean by adding all the measurement then divide to 5

M = 3.727 cm
 Precision
Example: 5 group of students worked in separate teams and do an
experiment about falling bodies. Each team work to measure the length of
an object.
Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4
3.44 cm 3.84 cm 3.68 cm 3.95 cm

What is the percentage of precision of the groups?

Then, find the average absolute deviation.

AD(ave) =

= 0.0005 cm
 Precision
Example: 5 group of students worked in separate teams and do an experiment
about falling bodies. Each team work to measure the length of an object.

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4

3.44 cm 3.24 cm 3.00 cm 3.55 cm

Solve for the percentage deviation

Percentage of precision = 100% - % of deviation

% of deviation x 100% = 100% - 0.01 %

x 100% = 99.99 %

= 0.01 %