Absolute Error

When we do any calculations there are always chances of making mistakes, either we do addition, subtraction or anything, similarly when we measure height, distance or anything with the help of any measuring device there are chances of making a mistake so if we measure the same thing twice we may get different answers and this is due to the error in measuring. Error is not the mistake we have made because it does not give you the wrong answer. The uncertainty in measurement is termed as the error. There are many types of errors which occur in experimental studies.

1. Greatest possible error – This is the error we make when we do the approximation or rounding off to tenth, hundredth place.

2. Absolute Error– This is the error which occurs due to the inaccuracy in the measurement we do. Experimental scientists come across usually with this type of error. This is the amount of physical error we make in the process of measurement. Absolute Error Formula– It is usually denoted by delta x and is equal to difference between the calculated value and the actual value. Now How to Calculate Absolute Error or How to Find Absolute Error– We can find the absolute-error by finding the difference between the inferred value and the calculated value of the measurement. It usually signifies the uncertainty in the measurement process. For example: - If we find the length of stick as 1.09 centimeter though its actual length is 1 centimeter. Then the absolute-error that is delta x = Calculated value – Actual value which is 1.09 – 1 and that is equal to 0.09. Hence we can say that absolute-error is equal to 0.09. Absolute-error is always positive. Therefore we can call it as the absolute value of the difference of the two values which are the calculated value and the actual value.

3. Relative error – This type of error tells you about how good a measurement is relative to size of the thing which is measured. It expresses the ratio of absolute-error to the measurement that is accepted. This actually shows the relative size of the error of the measurement in relation to the measurement itself. The formula for calculating relative error is Relative error = Absolute error over accepted measurement.