What are the differences between accuracy and precision? When it comes to measuring, these two words are often confused with one another, but they have different meanings. Accuracy is how close a measurement is to the true value, while precision is how repeatable a measurement is. In order to increase accuracy, you must reduce random error, while increasing precision simply means taking more measurements. Although these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, it’s important to understand their individual meanings in order to make better measurements.
What is Accuracy?
Accuracy is the quality or state of being exact and correct. When something is accurate, it means that it is close to true or correct. In other words, there is little to no difference between what actually happened and what was supposed to happen. For example, if a person fires a gun at a target and hits its dead center, it would be considered accurate. Conversely, if the person misses the target entirely, they would be considered inaccurate. Accuracy is important in many different fields, from medicine to construction. A small margin of error can often mean the difference between life and death, success and failure. As such, accuracy is revered as a highly desirable trait.
What is Precision?
The word precision comes from the Latin word precision, which means “accuracy.” In general, precision refers to the quality of being precise. When something is precise, it means that it is exact and specific. For example, if you are asked to draw a circle that is three inches in diameter, you know exactly how big the circle should be. In contrast, if you are asked to draw a “big” circle, the size of the circle is not specific, so it would not be considered precise. In many fields, such as science and engineering, precision is essential. This is because imprecise measurements can lead to errors that can have costly or dangerous consequences.
Difference between Accuracy and Precision
In the world of measurement, accuracy and precision are two important concepts. To be accurate is to measure something correctly, while to be precise is to measure something consistently. In other words, accuracy is about getting the right answer, while precision is about getting the same answer each time. One way to think of the difference is in terms of a bullseye. To be accurate is to hit the target, while to be precise is to hit the same spot on the target each time. Of course, it’s possible to be both accurate and precise, but it’s also possible to be just one or the other. For example, a marksman who consistently hits a wide range of different spots on the target may have good precision but poor accuracy.
Conclusion
When measuring results in your business, it’s important to understand the difference between accuracy and precision. Accuracy is how close your result is to the true value, while precision reflects how closely individual measurements are clustered around the average. In many cases, you may be able to improve accuracy without sacrificing precision (and vice versa), but it’s important to know which metric you’re trying to optimize. For example, if you’re looking to minimize variation in your production process, improving precision would be more beneficial than increasing accuracy.
