Accuracy
Elementary SchoolMiddle School
Definition
Tells you how close an estimation or an approximation is to its real value. Commonly compared against precision, which tells you how much information is conveyed by a number, accuracy reflects correctness. An example is the number of pi. 3.14 is accurate, but not precise.
Worked examples
\(\pi \approx 3.14\)
3.14 is accurate (close to the real value) but not precise (only two decimal places).
\(\sqrt{2} \approx 1.4142\)
More digits make this both accurate and more precise than writing 1.4.
Common mistakes
- A measurement with more decimal places is always more accurate. → More decimal places means more precision; accuracy depends on how close to the true value. Writing \(\pi = 3.14159265\) is precise, but if you miscalculate and write 3.24159265, it's precise yet inaccurate.
- \(3.1\) is more accurate than \(3.14\) for \(\pi\). → \(3.14\) is more accurate than \(3.1\) because it's closer to \(\pi\). Accuracy measures closeness to the true value, not brevity.
Where you'll use it next
You'll compare accuracy and precision when rounding in algebra, analyzing measurement error in geometry and science labs, and evaluating numerical methods in calculus and statistics.
Found in 1 StudyPug lesson
Rounding Numbers: Clear Examples and Expert Techniques
7th Grade7th7th Grade Math
Discover easy-to-follow rounding examples for whole numbers and decimals. Learn essential techniques to round to the nearest ten, hundred, or thousand. Boost your math confidence today!
See also
Reviewed by Pat Cheng, M.Ed. — StudyPug Curriculum Lead · Last updated June 6, 2026