Final answer:
Accuracy in measurements refers to how close the results are to the true or accepted value, while precision indicates the consistency of repeated measurements.
Step-by-step explanation:
The measure of how close a calculated or measured quantity is to its true value is referred to as accuracy. This concept is crucial in science, as it is essential for ensuring that measurements reflect the true nature of what is being observed or tested. When measurements are described as accurate, it implies that the results are very close to the correct or accepted value of the quantity being measured. For instance, measuring the length of a piece of computer paper and getting results that are very close to its known established length would be an example of accurate measurements.
Precision, on the other hand, is a different but related concept. It is defined as how close individual measurements are to each other, indicating the consistency of the measurement process. Precise measurements may not necessarily be accurate if they are consistently off from the true value, but they provide valuable information about the reliability of the measurement method.