Final answer:
An accurate scientific measuring tool should make measurements that are close to the actual value. While precision refers to the repeatability and the ability to measure in small increments, accuracy is about how close a measurement is to the actual, correct value.
Step-by-step explanation:
The characteristic that a scientific measuring tool should have to be accurate is that it must be able to make measurements that are close to the actual value. Accuracy refers to how close a measurement is to the correct value for that measurement. For instance, if you measure the length of standard computer paper expected to be 11.0 inches and get readings of 11.1 in., 11.2 in., and 10.9 in., these are accurate measurements because they are very near the true value.
On the other hand, precision is about the repeatability of the measurements getting similar results when the measurement is repeated. A precise measuring tool can measure values in very small increments, enhancing the precision and potential accuracy of measurements. Therefore, the correct choice is B: To be accurate, it must be able to make measurements that are close to the actual value.