relative error
[relative error|relative error] Relative error is defined as the absolute error divided by the actual value of the quantity.
Definition
relative error Relative error is defined as the absolute error divided by the actual value of the quantity. It is used to determine the percentage error by multiplying the relative error by 100. The relative error is expressed as a fraction or decimal, not a percentage.
Mechanism
relative error To estimate the relative error, consider ay. Since we do not know the exact value of the volume V, use the measured radius r = 4000 mi to estimate V. We obtain V ~ (4}-(4000)°.
Examples
relative error When measuring the height of a ladder as 63 in. when the actual height is 62 in., the absolute error is +1 in. and the relative error is 0.016, or 1.6%. Similarly, measuring the width of a piece of cardboard as 8.25 in. when the actual width is 8 in., the absolute error is +0.25 in. and the relative error is 0.031, or 3.1%.