Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 6-6 Good accuracy but
poor precision
Figure 6-6 indicates a lack of precision, but when the dart positions are averaged out, they are quite
accurate—they come quite close to the intended spot. (Note that this doesn't count for much in the game
of darts, but would be useful in finding an intended spot if one had a number of readings, say, latitude
and longitude, from a process or piece of equipment, such as a GPS receiver, known to be accurate.)
Well, what can we say about the target of Person U?
The darts are not clustered (not precise). They do not average out to the intended spot (inaccurate).
See Figure 6-7.
FIGURE 6-7 Poor accuracy and
poor precision
To summarize: Precision refers to the degree of specified detail. A number with many significant digits is
a precise number. (Unfortunately, the “significant digits” may not truly be significant.) Accuracy refers to
the correctness of the specified number. What counts is its truth. It may be precise or imprecise.
 
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