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Absolute, Relative and Percentage Errors in Numerical Analysis

The document discusses various types of errors in measurement and numerical analysis. It defines absolute, relative, and percentage errors and discusses how to calculate them. It also discusses different sources of error such as systematic, random, and least count errors. Methods to minimize errors such as improving instruments, techniques, and repeating measurements are presented. The document answers questions regarding expressing and propagating errors in calculations.

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245 views5 pages

Absolute, Relative and Percentage Errors in Numerical Analysis

The document discusses various types of errors in measurement and numerical analysis. It defines absolute, relative, and percentage errors and discusses how to calculate them. It also discusses different sources of error such as systematic, random, and least count errors. Methods to minimize errors such as improving instruments, techniques, and repeating measurements are presented. The document answers questions regarding expressing and propagating errors in calculations.

Uploaded by

horseshoeindia
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Absolute, Relative and Percentage

errors in Numerical Analysis


Q1: Define error. 
Answer: The exact  measurement of a physical quaintly not possible. This is known
as Heisenberg uncertainly principle. Uncertainty in the measurements is called error.
Numerically, the deviation of measured value from the actual value is called error.  If
X is the quantity measured, then ΔX is called error in X. i.e. Error = Actual value –
Measured value.

Q2: What are different sources of errors?


Answer: An error can be of following types:
(a) systematic errors
(b) random errors.
(c) least count errors
(d) constant errors
(e) Errors due to external factors.

(a) Systematic error is the deviation caused due a single known source is called a
systematic error. Following are the sources of systematic errors:

Instrumental errors: Imperfect design or calibration and/or Zero error.

Imperfection in experimental technique or procedure

Personal errors or Gross errors due to individual’s bias, lack of proper setting of the
apparatus or individual’s carelessness in taking observations without observing
proper precautions,

(b) Random Error: Error due to unknown reasons and that occurs while taking
measurements.

(c) The least count error is the error associated with the resolution of the instrument.

(d) Constant Errors. Error in magnitude caused due to problems in calibration of


scales. This error repeats itself in all measurements. Least Count error is also a type
of constant error.

(e) External factors like air, temperature, pressure etc. can cause errors while taking
measurements.

Q3: How can we minimize errors?


Answer: Using instruments of higher precision, improving experimental
techniques, etc., we canr reduce the least count error.

Repeating the observations several times and taking the arithmetic mean of all the
observations, the mean value would be very close to the true value of the measured
quantity.

Gross errors can be minimized only if the observer is very careful in his observations
and sincere in his approach.

Q4: What are the different ways of expressing an error?

Answer: different ways to express errors are:

 Absolute Error
 Relative Error
 Percentage Error

Q5: What is Absolute Error?

Answer:  The absolute error of measurement is the magnitude of the difference


between the value of the quantity and the individual measurement value. Because we
are not sure about the correct value of the quantity, correct or true value of quantity
is taken as Arithmetic mean (Amean) of read values.

∴  If there are ‘n’ number of readings (A1, A2, A3… An), corresponding absolute errors
can be represented as:
ΔA1 = Amean – A1
ΔA2 = Amean – A2
ΔA3 = Amean – A3
ΔAn = Amean – An

Final Absolute error is arithmetic mean of magnitudes of absolute errors i.e.


ΔAmean= ( |ΔA1|+ |ΔA2| + |ΔA3|+ … + |ΔAn|) / n

Q6: Define accuracy.

Answer: The accuracy of an instrument is a measure of how close the output


reading of the instrument is to the correct value.

Q7: What is meant by precision? Can we say an instrument of high


precision is accurate?
Answer: Precision describes an instrument’s degree of freedom from random
errors. If a large number of readings are taken of the same quantity by a high
precision instrument, then the spread of readings will be very small. It is not
necessary an instrument of high precision is accurate.

Q8: Any measurement of physical quantity pwill likely to have value


(a) Always equal to pmean – Δpmean
(b) Always equal to pmean + Δpmean
(c) Greater than  pmean + Δpmean
(d) Lies between  pmean – Δpmean ≤  p  ≤  pmean + Δpmean

Answer:  (d) Lies between  pmean – Δpmean ≤  p  ≤  pmean + Δpmean

Q9: What is relative error or percentage error?

Answer: The relative error is the ratio of the mean absolute error Δamean to the
mean value amean of the quantity measured.
i.e. Relative error = Δamean/ amean

When the relative error is expressed in per cent, it is called the percentage


error (δa).
⇒  δa = (Δamean/ amean) × 100%

Q10: A resistor has a marking as “470 Ω, 10%”? What will be the true
value of resistor?

Answer: 470 Ω, 10% means, the resistor has percentage error of 10%. it means the
true value lies withing 470 ± 10% i.e. 470 ± 47. (10% of 470 is 47)
∴ true value lies between 423Ω to 517 Ω.

Q11: The refractive index (μ) of water is found to have the values 1.29,
1.33, 1.34, 1.35, 1.32, 1.36, 1.30 and 1.33. Calculate the mean value,
absolute error, the relative error and the percentage error. 

Answer: Mean refractive index is average of eight values i.e.


μmean = (1.29 + 1.33 + 1.34 + 1.35 + 1.32 + 1.36 + 1.30 + 1.33) ÷ 8
μmean =10.62 ÷ 8 = 1.3275 ≈ 1.33

Absolute error are:


Δμ1 = μmean – μ1  = 1.33 – 1.29 = 0.04
Δμ2 = μmean – μ2  = 1.33 – 1.33 = 0.00
Δμ3 = μmean – μ3  = 1.33 – 1.34 = -0.01
Δμ4 = μmean – μ4  = 1.33 – 1.35 = -0.02
Δμ5 = μmean – μ5  = 1.33 – 1.32 = 0.01
Δμ6 = μmean – μ6  =  1.33 – 1.36 = -0.03
Δμ7 = μmean – μ7  = 1.33 – 1.30 = 0.03
Δμ8 = μmean – μ8  =  1.33 – 1.33 = 0.00

Mean Absolute error  Δμmean


= (|Δμ1 | + |Δμ2 | + |Δμ3 | + | Δμ4 | + | Δμ5 | + | Δμ6 | + |Δμ7 | + |Δμ8 |) ÷ 8
= ( 0.04 + 0.00 + 0.01 + 0.02 + 0.01 + 0.03 + 0.03 + 0.00) ÷ 8
= 0.14 ÷ 8 = 0.0175 ≈  0.02

Relative error (δμ) =  Δμmean/ μmean = 0.02 ÷ 1.33 = ± 0.015 ≈ 0.02

Percentage error =  (Δμmean/ μmean) × 100% = ± 0.015 × 100 = ± 1.5

Q12: Static analysis is used to handle


(a) Systematic errors
(b) Random errors
(c) Constant errors
(d) Least Count errors

Answer: (b) Random errors

Q13: What is Parallax error?

Answer:  Parallax error is a type of gross error which gets introduced by reading
scales from the wrong angle i.e. any angle other than at right angle. Usually some
instruments have mirrors help to avoid parallax error while taking readings.

Q14: How errors are propagated or combined?

Answer: While applying mathematical operations (e.g. addition, subtraction,


multiplication and division) on physical quantities, errors are combined.

If A and B are two physical quantities represented as A ± ΔA and B ± ΔB, then


(a) In addition, i.e. Z = A + B, absolute error  ΔZ = ΔA + ΔB.

(b) In difference, Z = A – B, absolute error  ΔZ = ΔA + ΔB.

(c) In product, Z = AB, then absolute error  ΔZ/Z = ΔA/A + ΔB/B.

(d) In division, Z = A/B,  ΔZ/Z = ΔA/A + ΔB/B.

(e) In power, Z = Ax.By/Cz, then  ΔZ/Z = xΔA/A + yΔB/B ± zΔC/C


Q15: A current of 3.5 ± 0·5 ampere flows through metallic conductor. 
And a potential difference of 21 ± 1 volt is applied. Find the Resistance of
the wire.

Answer:  Given V = 21± 1volts, ΔV = 1, I = 3.5 ± 0·5 A and ΔI = 0.5A


Resistance R  = V / I = 21± 1 / 3.5 ± 0·5 = 6 ± ΔR
ΔR/R = error in measurement = ΔV/V + ΔI/I = 1/21 + 0.5/3.5 = 0.048 + 0.143 =
0.191 ≈ 0.19
⇒ ΔR = 0.19 × R = 0.19 × 6 = 1.14

∴ effective resistance R = 6 ± 1.14 Ω

Q16: A rectangular board is measured with a scale having accuracy of


0.2cm. The length and breadth are measured as 35.4 cm and 18.4 cm
respective. Find the relative error and percentage error of the area
calculated.

Answer: Given length (l) = 35.4 cm, Δl = 0.2cm


Width   = 18.4cm and Δw = 0.2cm

Area (A) = l × w = 35.4 × 18.4 = 651.36 cm2

Relative error in Area (δA) = ΔA/A = Δl/l + Δw/w =0.2/35.4 + 0.2/18.4 = 0.006 +
0.011 = 0.017
Percentage error = ΔA/A × 100 = 0.017 × 100 = 1.7%

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