Final answer:
The percent error of Janet's balance is calculated using the formula Percent Error = (|Actual Value - Measured Value| / Actual Value) × 100%, which results in approximately 3.46% for an object with a mass of 47.35 grams measured as 45.71 grams.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question deals with calculating the percent error of a balance. Percent error is a measure of how inaccurate a measurement is, standardized to how large the measurement is. To calculate the percent error, you use the formula: Percent Error = (|Actual Value - Measured Value| / Actual Value) × 100%. In this case, the actual value (mass) is 47.35 grams, and the measured value (weight) is 45.71 grams.
Using the formula, Percent Error = (|47.35 g - 45.71 g| / 47.35 g) × 100% = (1.64 g / 47.35 g) × 100% ≈ 3.46%.
Therefore, the percent error of Janet's balance, when measuring an object with a mass of 47.35 grams, is approximately 3.46%, which is option a).