Question

When you measure the length of an object to the eighth of an inch and again to the fourth of an inch, which measurement is more precise? Explain your answer.

Answer 1

The smaller the value of the least increment, the more precise a number is.

Length measured to the nearest 1/8 inch will be more precisely specified than length measured to the nearest 1/4 inch.

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In general, precision has little to do with accuracy—how close the measured value is to the actual value. A measurement can be very precise, but just plain wrong. (Many electronic instruments have resolution (precision) that exceeds their accuracy. That is, one or two (or more) of the least-significant displayed digits may be in error.)