How to Calculate Percent Error

Calculating percent error is essential in scientific experiments and measurements. It helps you understand how accurate your measurements are by comparing them to the true or accepted value. Here’s a straightforward guide to help you calculate percent error:

Steps to Calculate Percent Error

1. Determine the Measured Value and the True Value

First, identify the measured value (the value you obtained from your experiment) and the true value (the accepted or correct value). For example, if you measured a length of 5.5 cm and the true length is 5.0 cm, these are your values.

2. Subtract the True Value from the Measured Value

Calculate the difference between the measured value and the true value.

Error = Measured Value - True Value

In our example:

5.5 - 5.0 = 0.5

3. Divide the Error by the True Value

Next, divide the error by the true value to get the relative error.

Relative Error = Error / True Value

Using our values:

0.5 / 5.0 = 0.1

4. Multiply by 100 to Get the Percent Error

Finally, multiply the relative error by 100 to convert it to a percentage.

Percent Error = Relative Error * 100

For our example:

0.1 * 100 = 10%

So, the percent error in your measurement is 10%.

Conclusion

Calculating percent error is a useful method to assess the accuracy of your measurements. Use this method to improve your experimental techniques and ensure precise results in your scientific endeavors.