Learning Activity Sheet #2: Accuracy and Precision

Objective:

• Differentiate accuracy from precision.

Reading Activity:

In everyday language, accuracy and precision means the same thing. However, in the context of
measurement, they have different meanings.
Accuracy refers to the closeness of a measured value to a standard or known value. For example, if in
lab you obtain a weight measurement of 3.2 kg for a given substance, but the actual or known weight is 10 kg,
then your measurement is not accurate. In this case, your measurement is not close to the known value. On
the other hand, precision refers to the closeness of two or more measurements to each other. Using the
example mentioned earlier, if you weigh a given substance five times, and get 3.2 kg each time, then your
measurement is very precise.
It is worthy to note that precision is independent of accuracy. You can be very precise but inaccurate,
as described above. You can also be accurate but imprecise. For example, if on average, your measurements
for a given substance are close to the known value, but the measurements are far from each other, then you
have accuracy without precision.
A good analogy for understanding accuracy and precision is to imagine a basketball player shooting
baskets. If the player shoots with accuracy, his aim will always take the ball close to or into the basket. If the
player shoots with precision, his aim will always take the ball to the same location which may or may not be
close to the basket. A good player will be both accurate and precise by shooting the ball the same way each
time and each time making it in the basket.

Activity 1: Imagine a game of darts. You played 4 games and you got these results. Describe your accuracy
(high or low) and precision (high or low) for each game.

1st Game 2nd Game 3rd Game 4th Game

1st Game: ____________________________ and _____________________________

2nd Game: ____________________________ and _____________________________
3rd Game: ____________________________ and _____________________________
4th Game: ____________________________ and _____________________________
Activity 2: Two students performed four trials to measure the mass of 5 mL of water. The graphs show their
results. The true value (result) for the mass of water is 5 g. Describe their accuracy and precision. Simply
identify whether each student accurate or inaccurate and precise or imprecise.

Student A: ____________________________ and _____________________________

Student B: ____________________________ and _____________________________

Activity 3: Students measure temperature outside on a nice, sunny summer day. The actual temperature (actual
value) was 30.5°C. Here are their results:

Student 1: 30.9 °C 30.9°C 30.9°C

Student 2: 30.1 °C 30.9°C 30.5°C
Student 3: 31.5 °C 31.4°C 31.5°C

Answer the following questions:

1. Whose results are most precise? ________________________
2. Whose result are most accurate? ________________________

Activity 4: Read the following questions carefully. Write letters only on your answer sheet.

1. Which group of measurements is most precise?

a. 0.005 g, 0.0049 g, 0.0051 g c. 23.4 mm, 12.4 mm, 50.2 mm

b. 1.23 cm3, 2.21 cm3, 9.92 cm3 d. 2.3 x 10-2 kg, 2.31 x 102 kg, 2.29 x 1012 kg

2. The volume of a liquid is 20.5 ml. Which of the following sets of measurement the value with good
accuracy?
 a. 18.6 ml, 17.6 ml, 19.6 ml, 17.2 ml c. 19.3 ml, 19.2 ml, 18.6 ml, 18.7 ml
b. 18.8 ml, 19.0 ml, 19.2 ml, 18.8 ml d. 20.2 ml, 20.5 ml, 20.3 ml 20.1 ml

3. The mass of unknown substance is 2.86 g. Which of the following sets of measurement represents the value
with both accuracy and precision?

a. 2.78 g, 2.80 g, 2.76 g, 2.81 g c. 2.81 g, 1.98 g, 2.40 g, 2.78 g

b. 2.95 g, 2.02 g, 2.96 g, 2.10 g d. 2.85 g, 2.86 g, 2.84 g, 2.81 g

4. The mass of a sample of a copper nitrate is 3.82 g. A student measures the mass and finds it to be 3.81 g,
3.82 g, 3.79 g and 3.80 g in the first, second, third and fourth trial, respectively. Which of the following
statements is true for his measurements?

a. They have good accuracy but poor precision. c. They are neither precise nor accurate.
b. They have poor accuracy but good precision. d. They have good accuracy and precision.

5. What is meant by the term precision?

a. The extent to which the value approaches its true value. c. The lack of bias in the data.
b. The level of detail at which data is stored. d. The overall quality of data.

6. What is meant by the term accuracy?

a. The extent to which the value approaches its true value. c. The lack of bias in the data.
b. The level of detail at which data is stored. d. The overall quality of data.

7. The volume of a liquid is 26.5 ml. A student measures the volume and finds it to be 25.2 mL, 25.1 mL,
24.9 mL, and 25.3 mL in the first, second, third, and fourth trial, respectively. Which of the following
statements is true for his measurements?
a. They have poor precision. c. They are neither precise nor accurate.
b. They have good accuracy. d. They have good precision.

8. The mass of an unknown substance is 5.5 g. Which of the following sets of measurement represents the
value with good accuracy?
a. 1g, 2g, 3g, 4g c. 6g, 6g ,7g, 7g
b. 4g, 5g, 6g, 7g d. 5g, 5g, 5g, 5g

9. The volume of a sample of concentrated hydrochloric acid is 9.1 ml. A student measures the volume and
finds it to be 8.6 mL, 8.8 mL, 8.2 mL, and 8.6 mL in the first, second, third, and fourth trial, respectively.
Which of the following statements is true for his measurements?
 a. They have poor precision. c. They are neither precise nor accurate.
b. They have poor accuracy. d. They have good precision.

10. Which of the following will allow measurement of a liquid's volume with the greatest precision?
a. 50 ml cylinder graduated in 1ml increments c. 100 ml cylinder graduated in 1 ml increments
b. 100 ml cylinder graduated in 0.5 ml increments d. 200 ml cylinder graduated in 5 ml increments

11. Precision is dependent of accuracy.

a. True b. False

12. The concept of precision depends on the actual measurements acquired and on an accepted reference value.
a. True b. False