Chapter 01 (Error Analysis)
Chapter 01 (Error Analysis)
Error Analysis
***Numerical Error
If we want to solve,
2 25
+ = 2.9 Exact Value Approximate Value
5 10
25 12
+ = 1.61752136752 For our convenience we may write 1.6175
36 13
So in the second calculation, calculated value is 1.61752136752 (Exact value) but we write 1.6175
(Approximate value). So the Error occurred here, 1.61752136752- 1.6175=0.00002136752.
Finally, The error of a quantity is the difference between it’s true value and approximate. It
is denoted by E. If the true value is X and approximate value is x then the error of the
quantity is given by,
E = X −x
Different Types of Error
The absolute error of a quantity is the absolute
Absolute error value of the difference between the exact value and
the approximate value. It is denoted by EA . If the
Relative error exact value is X and approximate value is x, the
absolute error is define by, EA = X − x
Percentage error
The relative error of a quantity is the ratio of its
absolute error to its exact value. It is denotedE by, ER
ER = A
X
= −0.0012645 = 0.0012645
EA 0.0012645
The relative error is, ER = = = 0.000402
X 3.1415926
E=8.2546-8.2549=0.0005
Solution: The given number is 𝑃 = 8.2546 From the error we can say, as long
as there is zero there is no mistake
that is exact.
Since the given number rounded up to two decimal places so 𝑁 = 2
1
The absolute error is, 𝐸𝐴 = 10−2 = 0.005 (i.e, exact value 𝑋 = 8.25)
2
𝐸𝐴 0.005
The relative error is, 𝐸𝑅 =
𝑋
=
8.25
= 0.00060606061
Example:
Some rules to Example:
0.067 has 2 significant digits identify the 12.2300 has six significant
0.000008 has 1 significant significant figures
digit 0.000122300 still has only six
numbers significant figures
𝟏
1) Three approximations of the number are given as 0.32, 0.33 and 0.34. Find the best
𝟑
approximation among the three.