1. Does precision describe the relationship of a measurement to an accepted standard or the limitation of the measuring instrument? to me the relationship of an accepted standard sounds more like an accuracy. what do you guys think? It's on my homework and these two are the choices.

2. How many significant figures does 40.005 00 have?

 

Also, how can significant figures indicate precision?

 

PLEASE REPLY

1. Does precision describe the relationship of a measurement to an accepted standard or the limitation of the measuring instrument? to me the relationship of an accepted standard sounds more like an accuracy. what do you guys think? It's on my homework and these two are the choices.

2. How many significant figures does 40.005 00 have?

 

Also, how can significant figures indicate precision?

 

PLEASE REPLY

 

It's homework - but I think its OK to point you to this web page :- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Significant_figures

The thing is that my teacher didn't really explain us anything. It would be nice if you guys can help me out?

1. Does precision describe the relationship of a measurement to an accepted standard or the limitation of the measuring instrument? to me the relationship of an accepted standard sounds more like an accuracy. what do you guys think? It's on my homework and these two are the choices.

2. How many significant figures does 40.005 00 have?

 

Also, how can significant figures indicate precision?

 

PLEASE REPLY

 

I think your answer to 1 is correct. What's your answer for 2, and why?

 

The relationship of significant figures to relative precision is pretty straightforward — more digits is more precise. 0.001 is more precise than 0.1, or 3951 vs 20: A part in a thousand vs a part in ten. It doesn't work for absolute precision, though. 0.1 is more precise than 3951. Absolute precision is the given by the smallest meaningful digit.

I think your answer to 1 is correct. What's your answer for 2, and why?

 

The relationship of significant figures to relative precision is pretty straightforward — more digits is more precise. 0.001 is more precise than 0.1, or 3951 vs 20: A part in a thousand vs a part in ten. It doesn't work for absolute precision, though. 0.1 is more precise than 3951. Absolute precision is the given by the smallest meaningful digit.

 

For number one, i have to choose between two answer choices.

the first one is: the relationship of a measurement to an accepted standard

the second one is: the limitations of the measuring instrument.

 

But my teacher said before that accuracy and precision are different and that the relationship to an "accepted" standard is accuracy. But then the second choice doesn't really sound correct either. I'm stuck in a dilemma :S

For number one, i have to choose between two answer choices.

the first one is: the relationship of a measurement to an accepted standard

the second one is: the limitations of the measuring instrument.

 

But my teacher said before that accuracy and precision are different and that the relationship to an "accepted" standard is accuracy. But then the second choice doesn't really sound correct either. I'm stuck in a dilemma :S

The imitation of the measuring instrument will be the limit of your precision. A meter stick marked with 1 cm divisions gives a less precise measurement than one marked with 1 mm divisions. A caliper that goes to 0.01mm is even more precise