Question

A thermometer recorded the air temperature on Friday at 42°F. The actual temperature was 52°F. What was the percent of error rounded to the nearest whole?

Answer 1

The percent error in the recorded air temperature on Friday compared to the actual temperature was approximately 23%.

Step-by-step explanation:

To determine the percent error, use the formula for percent error:

Percent Error = (| Recorded Value - Actual Value | / Actual Value) × 100

In this case, the recorded value is 42°F, and the actual value is 52°F. Substituting these values into the formula:

Percent Error = (| 42 - 52 | / 52) × 100

This calculation results in a percent error of approximately 23%. Percent error expresses the discrepancy between the recorded and actual values as a percentage of the actual value. In this scenario, the recorded temperature was 10°F lower than the actual temperature, which accounts for a 23% error in measurement.

Understanding percent error is crucial in various fields, including scientific measurements and data analysis. It represents the accuracy or precision of a measurement by quantifying the difference between the measured and true values. In this context, a percent error of 23% indicates a considerable deviation from the actual temperature, highlighting the inaccuracy of the recorded measurement on Friday. Accuracy in temperature measurements is crucial in various industries, such as meteorology, where precise temperature recordings are essential for weather forecasting and analyses.