Lesson 4

Discover

 

In previous lessons you learned about accuracy, precision, and tolerances in measurements. You learned that different situations require greater accuracy and precision than others. In this lesson you are going to apply what you learned to a variety of scenarios.

 

Try This 1

1. The instrument panel on a vehicle’s dashboard provides several measurements that are important to the running of the vehicle. Complete the following table using measurements from a typical vehicle’s instrument panel.
   
   

   Measurement	How can you estimate or determine the value?	Type of measurement	How important is it to know this measurement?
   fuel	fuel gauge	volume	very important

2. Using the measurements from question 1, complete the following chart. Part of the chart is completed as an example.
   
   

   		Measurement	Reason
   Accuracy	least accurate
   	most accurate
   Precision	least precise
   	most precise	odometer	• usually shown accurate to 0.1 km
   Uncertainty	lowest uncertainty	odometer	• usually shown accurate to 0.1 km
   	greatest uncertainty
   Tolerance	lowest tolerance
   	greatest tolerance

   
   

Save your responses in your course folder.

 

Share 1

 

With a partner or in a group, consider your answers to Try This 1 and answer the following questions.

1. Did all of you think the same measures were important? Explain.
2. Were your rankings of accuracy, precision, uncertainty, and tolerance similar? Explain.
3. Are the most important measurements always the most accurate and precise? Explain.

If required, place a summary of your discussion in your course folder.