Aubrey measured a line to be 5.4 inches long. If the actual length of the line is 5.2 inches, then what was the percent error of the measurement, to the nearest tenth of a percent?

Question

Answer 1

The percent error is $\frac{\left| \text{observed} - \text{actual} \right|}{\text{actual}} \times 100$\% $= \frac{|5.4-5.2|}{5.2}\times 100\%=\frac{0.2}{5.2}\times 100\%\approx \frac{20}{520}\times100\%$ $= \frac{1}{26}\times 100\% \approx \boxed{3.8\%}$.