if i have
k = 36.86 +/- 4.78
and
v = 113 +/- 9.92
both using 95% confidence limits and no true values of k or v given
am i right in saying that accuracy cannot be determined
and that v is a more precise measurement
my question was to comment on what can be said about
the precision
the accuracy
and which is measured more precisely
i know that the standard deviation and confidence limits are lower numerically for K
but proportionally as a percentage of the mean they are lower for V
i think this means that v is more accurate
i want to know if im correct in saying this
To determine accuracy and precision, we need to understand the concepts first. Accuracy refers to how close a measured value is to the true value, while precision refers to how close repeated measurements are to each other.
In your case, you have a measurement of k, which is 36.86 with a 95% confidence interval of +/- 4.78. This means that you have a range of values within which you can be 95% certain that the true value of k lies. Similarly, you have a measurement of v, which is 113 with a 95% confidence interval of +/- 9.92.
Since you mentioned that no true values of k or v are given, it is indeed correct to say that accuracy cannot be determined. Accuracy would require a known true value to compare the measured values against.
However, we can still compare the precision of the measurements. In general, a smaller confidence interval or standard deviation indicates higher precision. Looking at the values you provided, the confidence interval for v (+/- 9.92) is larger compared to the confidence interval for k (+/- 4.78). This suggests that k has a higher precision since its measurement is more tightly clustered around the mean.
Therefore, based on the information provided, it would be incorrect to say that v is measured more precisely. In fact, k is measured more precisely with a smaller confidence interval.
It is important to note that precision does not necessarily imply accuracy. Even though k is more precise, without knowing the true values, we cannot determine which measurement is more accurate. Both measurements still have uncertainty associated with them.