Question

A patient who weighs 150 pounds steps onto a scale 20 times. The scale consistently weighs the patient at 165 pounds. What is true of the measurement?

A) The measurement is both accurate and precise.
B) The measurement is accurate but not precise.
C) The measurement is precise but not accurate.
D) The measurement is neither accurate nor precise.

Answer 1

The measurement of a patient's weight is precise because it consistently shows the same result, but it is not accurate as the scale's reading does not match the true weight of 150 pounds.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a patient who weighs 150 pounds steps onto a scale, and the scale consistently weighs them at 165 pounds, the measurement can be described as precise but not accurate. Precision refers to the consistency of the measurements, which in this case is high because the scale consistently reports the same weight every time. Despite this consistency, accuracy is about the closeness of the measured value to the true value, and since the actual weight is 150 pounds, the scale is not providing an accurate measurement.