Presentation

EMT3201

Numerical
Approximation
Errors, Types, Usage &
Error Propagation
F.O.T
Lecturer: Ms. E. Trim
Date: 24th February, 2015

3/12/15

Group Members
Name

Registration #

Josiah Headley

13/0933/1640

Mark Ramdihal

13/0933/2206

Dolall Mangal

13/0933/2031

Sheik Mobeen

13/0933/2518

Chabilall Mangal

13/0933/2030

Jaikeshan Takchandra

13/0933/1323

Outline of Presentation
Introduction
Concept of Mistakes
Concepts of Errors
Absolute Errors
Relative Errors
Error Propagation
Conclusion
Related Problems
References

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Introduction
In

any work involving the measurement of physical

quantities and any calculations which are made using these
measurements, it is necessary to form at least one idea of the
errors likely to be involved. Henceforth the concept of
numerical approximation arises.
Numerical Approximation is an inexact representation of a
numerical value that is still close enough to be useful.
It allows for the reduction in complexities in solving
problems while still yielding a fairly accurate solution,
thereby introducing the concept of mistakes and errors.

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Concept of Mistakes
In the language of Numerical Analysis, a mistake
(or blunder) is not an error! A mistake is due to fallibility,
(meaning that a mistake is made by human and not by
computers and calculators).

Mistakes may be negligible, with little or no effect on the

accuracy of the calculation.

Or they may be so serious as to render the calculated results

quite wrong.

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Contd Mistakes
Some common mistakes include:
Transposition of digits (for example, reading 8235 as
8325).

Misreading of repeated digits (for example, reading 74438

as 74338).

Misreading of tables (for example, referring to a wrong line

or a wrong column).

Incorrectly positioning a decimal point; (for example,

placing a decimal point at 19.438 as 194.38).

Overlooking signs (especially near sign changes).

How to avoid mistakes

Four ways by which mistakes can be avoided are:
1.

Double check calculations.

2.

Care, avoiding repetition.

3.

Ensure signs are clearly written.

4.

Knowledge of the common sources of mistakes.

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Concept of Errors
Errors
The difference between the exact value and the approximate
value obtained is the error.
Hence,

Error = Exact value - Approximate value

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An error may occur as a result of either of the

following:
1.

Errors in the method of measurement used.

2.

Errors resulting from failure to recognize, prevent or allow

for changes in experimental variables due to extraneous
factors e.g. temperature, barometric pressure, etc.

3.

Instrument errors.

4.

Errors in reading the instrument.

5.

Errors in recording and tabulating data.

6.

Arithmetic errors

7.

Errors arising from use of approximate values for physical

constants etc., or due to shortening values to a given number
of significant figures List availability dates.

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Types of Errors
1.
2.
3.

Round-off Error
Truncation Error
Number representation Error

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Round-off Errors
Round-off

errors are introduced when a numerical value

is converted to an approximated value of a certain
number of significant figures or decimal places.

When

rounding, add one to the last desired digit to the

number provided that the previous digit is 5 and above

If

the previous digit is less than 5, no change will be

made to the desired significant digit.

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Truncation Errors
Truncation

Error refers to an error in a method, which

occurs because some series (finite or infinite) is truncated to
a fewer number of terms. Such errors are essentially
algorithmic errors and we can predict the extent of the error
that will occur in the method.

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Number Representation Errors

Number

representation errors are errors that occur when numbers

cannot be represented exactly by a finite number of digits.

For

instance, the arithmetical operation of division often gives a

number which does not terminate; the decimal (base 10)
representation of 2/3 which is = 0.66666666.. Or

Numbers

with infinite decimal places such as 2 which is =

1.414213562.. Or

Even

a number such as 0.1 which terminates in decimal form but

would not terminate if expressed in binary form.

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Absolute Errors
Absolute

error is a measure of how far off' a measurement is

from a true value or an indication of the uncertainty in a
measurement.
The absolute error can also be thought of as the correction to
be made to experiment or calculated value in order to yield
the true value.
Absolute

error = True value Approximate value

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Contd Absolute errors

For

example, if you measure the width of a book using a

ruler with millimeter marks, the best you can do is measure
the width of the book to the nearest millimeter. You measure
the book and find it to be 75 mm. You report the absolute
error in the measurement as 75 mm 1 mm. The absolute
error is 1 mm.

Note

that absolute error is reported in the same units as the

measurement.

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Relative Errors
Relative

error expresses how large the absolute error is

compared with the total size of the object you are
measuring.

It

is therefore necessary to determine the absolute error in

order to calculate the relative error.

Relative

errors are usually expressed as fraction or is

multiplied by 100 and expressed as a percent.

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Contd relative errors

Formula

for relative error:

Relative Error = Absolute Error / True Value

Example:

A driver's speedometer says his

car is going 60 miles per hour
(mph) when it's actually going 62
mph. The absolute error of his
speedometer is 62 mph - 60 mph
= 2 mph. The relative error of the
measurement is 2 mph / 60 mph
= 0.033 or 3.3%

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How can we Reduce Errors

Reducing

the effects of the errors mentioned can be

significantly influenced by working with more significant
figures (round off errors) or by retaining more terms
(truncation error).

Reducing

the chances of mistakes will also impact the

influences of errors.

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Error Propagation
Once

error estimates have been assigned to each piece of

data, we must then find out how these errors contribute to
the error in the result. The error in a quantity may be thought
of as a variation in the value of that quantity.

Terminologies
Determinate errors error which have an explicit sign,
indicating its true arithmetic value, e.g. negative (-) or
positive (+) displacement
Indeterminate errors errors with an unknown sign, e.g.
average body temperature is 35C 0.5C (also can be
referred to an uncertainty)

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Contd error propagation

Rules

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

for error propagation

Sum and difference rule
Product rule
Multiplication with a constant
Quotient rule
Polynomial functions
General formula
Examples

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Contd error propagation

Rules

when calculating errors

Sum and Difference Rule
When quantities are added (or subtracted), their determinate
errors add (or subtract)
The error is:
R ~ A + B + C
(approximate thereof)

For indeterminate quantities, the uncertainty would be the

Pythagorean resultant
(general thereof )

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Contd error propagation

Product Rule
When two quantities are multiplied, their relative errors add
up
So if R = AxBxC
Then,

The uncertainty in this case is the Pythagorean resultant once

more is, and is true for multiplying and dividing quantities:

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Contd error propagation

Multiplication with a constant
If, R = c*X
Then,

Quotient Rule
For the quotient of two quantities, E = A/B
The error in both the determinate and indeterminate case is
given as:

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Contd error propagation

Polynomial functions
Uncertainty in a power, if n is an exact number and

Then,
General formula for error propagation. If R = R{x}, any
function of x, then

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Error Propagation
Error

Propagation referrers to the order in which each error

moves through an error calculation, and its effect on the
other error values and the total error result, and takes on the
rule of BODMAS

Example:

R = XY Z/K

The total error can be taken as: -

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Contd Error orders, example

displacement of x = 5.10.4m during a time of

t=0.40.1 sec. What is the average velocity and
the error in this average?

Take v = x/t = 5.1m/0.4s = 12.75ms-1

And the uncertainty is:

As seen from the product rule.

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Conclusion
In the field of engineering it is very important that errors and
mistakes are kept to a minimal since they can:
Have an adverse effect on the overall project in terms of
miscalculations that can lead to design flaws
An understanding of errors and mistakes and how they can be
minimized and corrected is important in achieving the highest
accuracies in engineering.

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Homework Problems
1.

A 1 meter long steel tube was measured by a technician with a

measuring tape. He recorded his reading as 99.7 cm. Calculate the
absolute and relative errors.
Absolute error = 0.3cm, Relative error = 0.3%

2.

1.5 kg of material was weighed by a technician and found to be 1505

grams. Calculate the absolute and relative errors.
Absolute error = 5g, Relative error = 0.33%

3.

Suppose the measured value of the temperature is Ta = 146.2, but the

true temperature is T = 145.9. What are the absolute error and the
relative errors?
Relative error = 2%, Absolute error = 0.3

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Homework Problems contd

Suppose your first measurement of the oscillation period of a pendulum
is t1 = 4.0 0.1 seconds and the second is t2 = 3.85 .05 seconds. To find if
the two measurements are consistent, calculate the positive difference and
the error on that difference.
Answer: Error = 0.11s
1.

A pile driver of is used to drive a pile vertically into the ground. The pile
driver falls through a distance of 4 m 0.1 m rebound and causes the pile
move a distance of 0.5 m 0.1 m. Determine the velocity of the driver
immediately before impact (Take g = 9.81 m/s2)
Velocity = (2gs)1/2
= (2*9.81*4)1/2
= 8.85m/s
Error = constant* x
= 9.81* 0.1
= 0.981 m/s
2.

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References
Chemistry.com,

relative and absolute errors, Chemistry.com

http://
chemistry.about.com/od/workedchemistryproblems/fl/Absolute-Error-and-Relative-Er
ror-Calculation.htm
[2015-02-19]

Harvard.edu,

online lecture notes error propagation,

Harvard.edu
http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~scphys/nsta/error_propagation.pdf [2015-02-20]

Msu.edu, online lecture notes error propagation, Msu.edu

http://lectureonline.cl.msu.edu/~mmp/labs/error/e2.htm [2015-02-20]