Precision vs.

Accuracy Activity
NAME:______________________________DATE:____________PERIOD:_______

Background:
It is important in a lab to have data that is both precise and accurate. The accuracy of
data depends on how close a measurement comes to the actual or true value. The
accuracy refers to being “correct”. The precision of the data depends on how close
several measurements are to the same value. The precision of the data refers to data
being “reproducible”. If a student collects data of 5-mL, 5-mL and 5-mL the student had
reproducible data so they were precise. The average of the three trials give a value of
5-mL. If the true value was 5-mL then the student was also accurate. If the student
collects the data of 6-mL, 5-mL and 10-mL the student was not precise because the
same data was not reproducible. The average of the three trials give a value of 7-mL. If
the true value was 5-mL then the data was not accurate because the average is not
close to the true value.

Procedure:
1) Obtain a sheet of paper (1 paper per lab group) and tear into 6 equal pieces.
2) Roll the 6 pieces of paper into paper wads.
3) Stand 3 feet away from the wastebasket.
4) Try to throw all six paper wads into the wastebasket.
5) In the data section, mark where the 6 paper wads landed in relationship to the
wastebasket.
6) Pick up the six paper wads and hand to lab partner.
7) Repeat steps # 3-6 until all lab partners have collected their data.

Data & Results:

Place an “X” where YOUR 6 paper wads landed in relationship to the wastebasket.

Looking at the majority of your shots, comment on your accuracy and precision.
Use complete sentences and give an explanation for your reasoning.

Accuracy

Precision

©Teacher Friendly Chemistry

Conclusion:
1) The words correct and true value refers to the ____________________ of data.

2) The words repeatable and reproducible refer to the ________________ of data.

For questions # 3-9 place an “A”, “P”, “BAP” or “NAP” in the blank.
“A” for accurate only “P” for precise only
“BAP” for both accurate and precise “NAP” for neither, accurate or precise
Data from shooting 4 paper wads at a wastebasket is represented below. The “X” marks
where the paper wads landed.

X X XX
Fig. A Fig. B XX Fig. C

XXXX
X X

3) __________ Figure A

4) __________ Figure B

5) __________ Figure C

6) __________ A student is playing darts and the student hits the bull’s-eye three
times out of three.

7) __________ A student is shooting paper wads into a trashcan and all six attempts
miss the trashcan and strike six different places on the floor.

8) __________ A basketball player is shooting free throws. The player missed all ten
shoots with the ball hitting the same place on the front of the rim.

9) __________ The following data was collected by a student:

Trial Number Number of drops counted

1 10
2 11
3 9
4 8
5 12
Average 10
The actual value of drops is 10.

©Teacher Friendly Chemistry

 Teacher Notes: Precision vs. Accuracy Activity

At each station:
1 waste paper basket or similar object to represent a target

At a central location:
Scrap paper for students to use for paper wads.

Teaching Tips:
This activity is used to introduce accuracy and precision without lecturing. The activity is
very easy and only takes about 15-minutes for the students to complete and turn in.
The students enjoy this activity, the ability to throw paper wads in class! Remind
students that the basket is the target! The students should read the background before
going back to the lab. When the students are done with their tosses the students
should return back to their seats and finish the conclusion. Have the baskets already
located in different locations around the room and make sure the students stand 3 feet
away from the basket. The lab area should be free of all chemicals and glassware
before doing this activity.

Thanks to Brad Phelps for his contribution to this lab.

©Teacher Friendly Chemistry

 Precision vs. Accuracy Activity
NAME:______________________________DATE:_____________PERIOD:_______

Background:
It is important in a lab to have data that is both precise and accurate. The accuracy of
data depends on how close a measurement comes to the actual or true value. The
accuracy refers to being “correct”. The precision of the data depends on how close
several measurements are to the same value. The precision of the data refers to data
being “reproducible”. If a student collects data of 5-mL, 5-mL and 5-mL the student had
reproducible data so they were precise. The average of the three trials give a value of
5-mL. If the true value was 5-mL then the student was also accurate. If the student
collects the data of 6-mL, 5-mL and 10-mL the student was not precise because the
same data was not reproducible. The average of the three trials give a value of 7-mL. If
the true value was 5-mL then the data was not accurate because the average is not
close to the true value.

Procedure:
1) Obtain a sheet of paper (1 paper per lab group) and tear into 6 equal pieces.
2) Roll the 6 pieces of paper into paper wads.
3) Stand 3 feet away from the wastebasket.
4) Try to throw all six paper wads into the wastebasket.
5) In the data section, mark where the 6 paper wads landed in relationship to the
wastebasket.
6) Pick up the six paper wads and hand to lab partner.
7) Repeat steps # 3-6 until all lab partners have collected their data.

Data & Results:

Place an “X” where YOUR 6 paper wads landed in relationship to the wastebasket.

Data Answers will vary.

Looking at the majority of your shots, comment on your accuracy and precision.
Use complete sentences and give an explanation for your reasoning.

Accuracy Complete sentence commenting on accuracy. Answers will vary.

Precision Complete sentence commenting on precision. Answers will vary.

©Teacher Friendly Chemistry

Conclusion:
1) The words correct and true value refers to the ____accuracy_________ of data.

2) The words repeatable and reproducible refer to the _precision________ of data.

For questions # 3-9 place an “A”, “P”, “BAP” or “NAP” in the blank.
“A” for accurate only “P” for precise only
“BAP” for both accurate and precise “NAP” for neither, accurate or precise
Data from shooting 4 paper wads at a wastebasket is represented below. The “X” marks
where the paper wads landed.

X X XX
Fig. A Fig. B XX Fig. C

XXXX
X X

3) __NAP_____ Figure A

4) __BAP_____ Figure B

5) __P_______ Figure C

6) __BAP_____ A student is playing darts and the student hits the bull’s-eye three
times out of three.

7) __NAP_____ A student is shooting paper wads into a trashcan and all six attempts
miss the trashcan and strike six different places on the floor.

8) __P_______ A basketball player is shooting free throws. The player missed all ten
shoots with the ball hitting the same place on the front of the rim.

9) __A_______ The following data was collected by a student:

Trial Number Number of drops counted

1 10
2 11
3 9
4 8
5 12
Average 10
The actual value of drops is 10.

©Teacher Friendly Chemistry

 Precision vs. Accuracy Activity Quiz
NAME:______________________________DATE:_____________PERIOD:_______

1) The words correct and true value refers to the ____________________ of data.

2) The words repeatable and reproducible refer to the ________________ of data.

For questions # 3-9 place an “A”, “P”, “BAP” or “NAP” in the blank.
“A” for accurate only “P” for precise only
“BAP” for both accurate and precise “NAP” for neither, accurate or precise
Data from shooting 4 paper wads at a wastebasket is represented below. The “X” marks
where the paper wads landed.

X X XX
Fig. A Fig. B XX Fig. C

XXXX
X X
3) __________ Figure A

4) __________ Figure B

5) __________ Figure C

6) __________ A student is playing darts and the student hits the bull’s-eye three
times out of three.

7) __________ A student is shooting paper wads into a trashcan and all six attempts
miss the trashcan and strike six different places on the floor.

8) __________ A basketball player is shooting free throws. The player makes all ten
shots and each shot hit the same place on the backboard before going through the
rim.

9) __________ The following data was collected by a student:

Trial Number Number of mL used

1 5
2 6
3 4
4 7
5 3
Average
The actual value of milliliters is 7-mL.

©Teacher Friendly Chemistry

 Precision vs. Accuracy Activity Quiz Answer Key
NAME:______________________________DATE:_____________PERIOD:_______

1) The words correct and true value refers to the ___accuracy_____ of data.

2) The words repeatable and reproducible refer to the ___precision____ of data.

For questions # 3-9 place an “A”, “P”, “BAP” or “NAP” in the blank.
“A” for accurate only “P” for precise only
“BAP” for both accurate and precise “NAP” for neither, accurate or precise
Data from shooting 4 paper wads at a wastebasket is represented below. The “X” marks
where the paper wads landed.
X X XX
XX
Fig. A Fig. B Fig. C

XXXX
X X
3) ____NAP__ Figure A

4) ____BAP__ Figure B

5) _____P____ Figure C

6) ____BAP___ A student is playing darts and the student hits the bull’s-eye three
times out of three.

7) ____NAP___ A student is shooting paper wads into a trashcan and all six attempts
miss the trashcan and strike six different places on the floor.

8) ____BAP___ A basketball player is shooting free throws. The player makes all ten
shots and each shot hit the same place on the backboard before going through the
rim.

9) ____NAP___ The following data was collected by a student:

Trial Number Number of mL used

1 5
2 6
3 4
4 7
5 3
Average
The actual value of milliliters is 7-mL.

©Teacher Friendly Chemistry

 Precision vs. Accuracy Activity Make-up
NAME:______________________________DATE:_____ _______PERIOD:_______

Background:
It is important in a lab to have data that is both precise and accurate. The accuracy of
data depends on how close a measurement comes to the actual or true value. The
accuracy refers to being “correct”. The precision of the data depends on how close
several measurements are to the same value. The precision of the data refers to data
being “reproducible”. If a student collects data of 5-mL, 5-mL and 5-mL the student had
reproducible data so they were precise. The average of the three trials give a value of
5-mL. If the true value was 5-mL then the student was also accurate. If the student
collects the data of 6-mL, 5-mL and 10-mL the student was not precise because the
same data was not reproducible. The average of the three trials give a value of 7-mL. If
the true value was 5-mL then the data was not accurate because the average is not
close to the true value.

Procedure:
1) Obtain a sheet of paper and tear into 6 equal pieces.
2) Roll the 6 pieces of paper into paper wads.
3) Stand 3 feet away from a wastebasket.
4) Try to throw all six paper wads into the wastebasket.
5) In the data section, mark where the 6 paper wads landed in relationship to the
wastebasket.
6) Clean up and finish lab sheet.

Data & Results:

Place an “X” where YOUR 6 paper wads landed in relationship to the wastebasket.

Looking at the majority of your shots, comment on your accuracy and precision.
Use complete sentences and give an explanation for your reasoning.

Accuracy

Precision

©Teacher Friendly Chemistry

Conclusion:
1) The words correct and true value refers to the ____________________ of data.

2) The words repeatable and reproducible refer to the ________________ of data.

For questions # 3-9 place an “A”, “P”, “BAP” or “NAP” in the blank.
“A” for accurate only “P” for precise only
“BAP” for both accurate and precise “NAP” for neither, accurate or precise
Data from shooting 4 paper wads at a wastebasket is represented below. The “X” marks
where the paper wads landed.

X X XX
Fig. A Fig. B XX Fig. C

XXXX
X X

3) __________ Figure A

4) __________ Figure B

5) __________ Figure C

6) __________ A student is playing darts and the student hits the bull’s-eye three
times out of three.

7) __________ A student is shooting paper wads into a trashcan and all six attempts
miss the trashcan and strike six different places on the floor.

8) __________ A basketball player is shooting free throws. The player missed all ten
shoots with the ball hitting the same place on the front of the rim.

9) __________ The following data was collected by a student:

Trial Number Number of drops counted

1 10
2 11
3 9
4 8
5 12
Average 10
The actual value of drops is 10.

©Teacher Friendly Chemistry