Science Story > Measurement > Teaching and Learning Approaches > Precision and accuracy

STUDENT ACTIVITY: Precision and accuracy

Activity idea
In this activity, students analyse sets of data and decide whether the measurements are
precise and/or accurate.

By the end of this activity, students should be able to:

define the terms precision and accuracy
use the terms precision and accuracy in a scientific setting
analyse a measurement data set and judge its precision and accuracy.

Introduction/background notes
What you need
What to do
Student worksheet: Analysing data
Answers to student worksheet

Introduction/background

In this activity, student analyse sets of data and make statements about precision and
accuracy.

When taking scientific measurements, the goals are to measure accurately and with precision.
Accuracy indicates the closeness of the measurements to the true or accepted value.
Precision is the closeness of the results to others obtained in exactly the same way.

What you need

Copies of the student worksheet: Analysing data

What to do

1. Hand out copies of the student worksheet: Analysing data. Read through the first page
together and discuss.

2. Have students work through the data analysis activities and discuss the results.

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 Science Story > Measurement > Teaching and Learning Approaches > Precision and accuracy

Analysing data

When taking scientific measurements, the goals are to measure accurately and with precision.
Accuracy indicates the closeness of the measurements to the true or accepted value.
Precision is the closeness of the results to others obtained in exactly the same way.

In this image, the bulls-eye represents the accepted true value. Each cross represents a
repeated measurement of the same quantity.

In certain situations in the laboratory, you may be measuring a quantity that has an accepted
value. The difference between the measured result and the accepted value is the error in the
result.
error = measured value - accepted value
% error = (error in measurement/accepted value) x 100

For example, the accepted value for the mass of a new golf ball is 45.93 g. A student weighs a
golf ball and finds it to be 46.45 g. The % error is:
% error = (error in measurement/accepted value) x 100
= [(46.45 45.93)/45.93] x 100
= [0.52/45.93] x 100
= 1.13%

Rather than measuring once, it is common practice to take a number of separate

measurements. This eliminates any outlier results (results that do not fit the expected
outcome) and allows for an average value to be taken.

For example, a student weighs a golf ball on five separate occasions, and the results are:
45.89 g, 45.91 g, 46.06 g, 36.98 g and 45.94 g. On looking carefully at the results, it is clear
that the result 36.98 g does not fit in with the other results. It is an outlier and is discarded.

The average mass is calculated as:

(45.89 + 45.91 + 46.06 + 45.94)/4 = 45.95 g

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 Science Story > Measurement > Teaching and Learning Approaches > Precision and accuracy

Coin diameter

A gold coin has an accepted diameter of 28.054 mm.

Two students are asked to measure the diameter of four gold coins. Student A uses a simple
plastic ruler. Student B uses a precision measuring tool called a micrometer.

Student A plastic ruler Student B micrometer

27.9 mm 28.246 mm
28.0 mm 28.244 mm
27.8 mm 28.246 mm
28.1 mm 28.248 mm

1. Calculate the average value for each set of measurements

Student A plastic ruler Student B micrometer

2. Calculate the % error for each set of measurements.

Student A plastic ruler Student B micrometer

3. Compare the average value for each set with the accepted value:

Which students data is more accurate?

Which students data is more precise?

4. Compare the percentage error for each set:

Which students data is more accurate?

Which students data is more precise?

5. Explain any odd findings:

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 Science Story > Measurement > Teaching and Learning Approaches > Precision and accuracy

Aluminium bar density

Two students are given a small cylinder of aluminium of known mass and asked to determine
its density. (The accepted density of aluminium is 2.702 g/cm3.) Since density is
mass/volume, the students need to calculate the volume of the cylinder. To do this, the height
and diameter of the cylinder need to be measured.

Student A is told to use a simple plastic ruler and to make four independent measurements for
each dimension. Student B is told to use a precision measuring tool called a micrometer.

Student A plastic ruler Student B micrometer

2.2 g/cm3 2.703 g/cm3
2.3 g/cm3 2.701 g/cm3
2.7 g/cm3 2.705 g/cm3
2.4 g/cm3 5.811 g/cm3

1. Calculate the average value for each set of density values, making sure that any outliers
are not included.

Student A plastic ruler Student B micrometer

2. Calculate the % error for each set of values.

Student A plastic ruler Student B micrometer

3. Compare the average value for each set with the accepted value:

Which students data is more accurate?

Which students data is more precise?

4. Compare the percentage error for each set:

Which students data is more accurate?

Which students data is more precise?

5. Explain any odd findings:

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 Science Story > Measurement > Teaching and Learning Approaches > Precision and accuracy

Answers to student worksheet

Coin diameter

A gold coin has an accepted diameter of 28.054 mm.

Two students are asked to measure the diameter of four gold coins. Student A uses a simple
plastic ruler. Student B uses a precision measuring tool called a micrometer.

Student A plastic ruler Student B micrometer

27.9 mm 28.246 mm
28.0 mm 28.244 mm
27.8 mm 28.246 mm
28.1 mm 28.248 mm

6. Calculate the average value for each set of measurements

Student A plastic ruler Student B micrometer

27.9 + 28.0 + 27.8 +28.1 28.246 + 28.244 + 28.246 + 28.248

4 4
= 27.95 = 28.246 mm
= 28.0 mm

7. Calculate the % error for each set of measurements.

Student A plastic ruler Student B micrometer

(28.0 28.05) x 100 (28.246 28.05) x 100

28.05 28.05
= 0.18% = 0.86%

8. Compare the average value for each set with the accepted value:

Which students data is more accurate?

Student A, because the average value of 28.0 mm is closer to the accepted value of
28.05 mm.

Which students data is more precise?

Student B, because each measured value sits closer to the average value.

9. Compare the percentage error for each set:

Which students data is more accurate?

Student A, because the percentage error of 0.18% is smaller than Student Bs value of
0.86%.

Which students data is more precise?

It is not possible to decide this from percentage error alone. The range of values is
important in establishing precision.

10. Explain any odd findings:

Although Student B had access to a precision measuring tool, called a micrometer, it did
not have high accuracy in this experiment. Perhaps it was not calibrated correctly. One
would have expected Student Bs accuracy and precision to both be better than Student A.

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 Science Story > Measurement > Teaching and Learning Approaches > Precision and accuracy

Aluminium bar density

Two students are given a small cylinder of aluminium of known mass and asked to determine
its density. (The accepted density of aluminium is 2.702 g/cm3.) Since density is
mass/volume the students need to calculate the volume of the cylinder. To do this, the height
and diameter of the cylinder need to be measured.

Student A is told to use a simple plastic ruler and to make four independent measurements for
each dimension. Student B is told to use a precision measuring tool called a micrometer.

Student A plastic ruler Student B micrometer

2.2 g/cm3 2.703 g/cm3
2.3 g/cm3 2.701 g/cm3
2.7 g/cm3 2.705 g/cm3
2.4 g/cm3 5.811 g/cm3

6. Calculate the average value for each set of density values, making sure that any outliers
are not included.

Student A plastic ruler Student B micrometer

2.2 + 2.3 + 2.7 +2.4 2.703+ 2.701 + 2.705 (exclude 5.811)

4 3
= 2.4 g/cm3 = 2.703 g/cm3

7. Calculate the % error for each set of values.

Student A plastic ruler Student B micrometer

(2.4 2.702) x 100 (2.703 2.702) x 100

2.702 2.702
= 11.12% = 0.04%

8. Compare the average value for each set with the accepted value:

Which students data is more accurate?

Student B as the average is close to the accepted value.

Which students data is more precise?

If the outlier result of 5.811 g/cm3 is excluded (it is very far removed from the other
results), Student B. However, if all results are taken into account, Student As
measurements would be more precise.

9. Compare the percentage error for each set:

Which students data is more accurate?

The percentage error for Student A is large by comparison with the very low value for
Student B, only if the outlier value of 5.811 g/cm3 is excluded.

Which students data is more precise?

It is not possible to decide this from percentage error alone. The range of values is
important in establishing precision.

10. Explain any odd findings:

When analysing data sets, it is important to recognise outlier results. Clearly, the value
5.811 g/cm3 is not in keeping with the other measured results and can be confidently
eliminated.

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