LECTURE 2

Question 1

Process of determining the extent,
size or dimensions of a particular
quantity in comparison to a given
standard

Answer 1

Measurement

Question 2

Entails the entire process of obtaining a desired quantity

Answer 2

Measurement

Question 3

Single, unadjusted determination of a linear or angular value

Answer 3

Observation

Question 4

Difference between the measured or calculated value of a quantity and given or established (“true”) value of that
quantity

Answer 4

Error

Question 5

Negative of error

Answer 5

Correction

Question 6

Source of error caused by variations in the phenomena of nature

Answer 6

Natural error

Question 7

Source of error due to imperfections in the instruments used, either from faults in construction or improper adjustments

Answer 7

Instrumental error

Question 8

Source of error that arise principally from the limitations of the senses of sight, touch and hearing of the observer

Answer 8

Personal error

Question 9

Type of error that is gross in magnitude compared to the other types of errors.

Answer 9

Blunders/Mistakes

Question 10

Error due to simple carelessness on the part of the observer

Answer 10

Blunder/Mistakes

Question 11

Error that occur according to some deterministic system which, when known, can be expressed by some functional relationship.

Answer 11

Systematic/Cumulative Error

Question 12

Error caused by physical and natural
conditions that vary in accordance with known mathematical or physical laws

Answer 12

Systematic/Cumulative Error

Question 13

Type of systematic error in which magnitude and sign remains the same throughout the measuring process/field conditions are unchanged

Answer 13

Constant Error

Question 14

Type of systematic error in which the sign changes while its magnitude remains the same

Answer 14

Counteracting

Question 15

Error produced by irregular causes
that are beyond the control of the observer

Answer 15

Random/Accidental Error

Question 16

Errors which have no known functional
relationship based upon a deterministic system

Answer 16

Random/Accidental Error

Question 17

It aids in decision making and summarizes data for public use

Answer 17

Statistics

Question 18

Give one general use of statistics

Answer 18

• Provides comparison
• Justifies a claim or assertion
• Predicts future outcome
• Estimates unknown quantities

Question 19

Degree of refinement and consistency of the performance of an operation used to obtain the result

Answer 19

Precision

Question 20

Measure of uniformity of the result

Answer 20

Precision

Question 21

Degree of conformity with a standard/accepted value

Answer 21

Accuracy

Question 22

Denotes how close a given measurement is to the absolute value of the quantity

Answer 22

Accuracy

Question 23

Identify which type of error is made:

Reading the wrong graduation
on the tape

Answer 23

Blunder

Question 24

Identify which type of error is made:

Omitting a whole length of
tape

Answer 24

Blunder

Question 25

Identify which type of error is made: Misplacing a decimal point

Answer 25

Blunder

Question 26

Identify which type of error is made: Incorrect recording of field notes

Answer 26

Blunder

Question 27

Identify which type of error is made: Sighting the wrong target

Answer 27

Blunder

Question 28

Identify which type of error is made: Equipment out of calibration

Answer 28

Systematic Error

Question 29

Identify which type of error is made: Personal biases of the observer

Answer 29

Systematic Error

Question 30

Identify which type of error is made: Use of incorrect units (feet instead of meters)

Answer 30

Systematic Error

Question 31

the likelihood associated with a random event

Answer 31

probability

Question 32

a variable that takes on any of several possible values, with each of which is associated a probability

Answer 32

Random variable

Question 33

relative frequency of occurrence approaches a stable limit as the number of observations/repetitions of an experiment is increased to infinity

Answer 33

Random event

Question 34

constructed to represent the probability density of a single random variable.

Answer 34

Histogram

Question 35

constructed to represent the probability density of two random variables.

Answer 35

Stereogram

Question 36

In measures of central tendency, it is the positional middle of the arrayed data

Answer 36

Median

Question 37

Measure of central tendency affected by the position of each item but not by the value of each item

Answer 37

Median

Question 38

Mean is also known as __________

Answer 38

Most Probable Value (MPV)

Question 39

Sum of all the values of the observations divided by the number of observations

Answer 39

Mean

Question 40

Value that occurs most frequently in the sample

Answer 40

Mode

Question 41

Value of observation that is midway along the range

Answer 41

Midrange

Question 42

Arithmetic mean of the largest and smallest observations

Answer 42

Midrange

Question 43

Defined as the difference between any measured quantity and its most probable value (MPV)

Answer 43

Residual

Question 44

Parameter of dispersion or spread

Answer 44

Standard deviation and variance

Question 45

A quantity which, when added to and subtracted from the MPV, defines a range within which there is 50% chance that the true value lies inside (or outside) the limits

Answer 45

Probable Error

Question 46

Expressed by a fraction having the magnitude of the error in the numerator and the magnitude of a measured quantity in the denominator

Answer 46

Relative (Error) Precision