Final answer:
Tolerances are used to define the acceptable range of variation for a specified dimension. Accuracy, discrepancy, and uncertainty are important factors in measurements.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term that represents the total amount by which a specified dimension is allowed to vary and still be considered good is Tolerances. Tolerances define the acceptable range of variation for a dimension in order to meet the desired quality standards. For example, in manufacturing, there are specific tolerances for dimensions of parts to ensure proper fit and function.
When measuring a physical quantity, accuracy refers to the degree of agreement between the measured value and an accepted reference value. Discrepancy represents the difference between the measured value and the accepted value. Uncertainty is a measure of the variability or range of possible values within which the true value of the quantity lies.
Using the example of measuring the length of a paper, if we obtained measurements of 11.1 in., 11.2 in., and 10.9 in., and the accepted value was 11.0 in., the discrepancy would be 0.1 in. The uncertainty could be calculated as half the range of the measured values, which in this case would be 0.15 in. Therefore, the length of the paper would be recorded as 11.1 ± 0.15 in.