1. What is a Percent Error Calculator?

Definition: This calculator determines the percentage difference between an experimental (measured) value and a theoretical (accepted) value.

Purpose: It helps scientists, researchers, and students quantify the accuracy of experimental measurements.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• Experimental — The measured or observed value
• Theoretical — The accepted or true value

Explanation: The difference between values is divided by the theoretical value to get relative error, then converted to percentage.

3. Importance of Significant Figures

Details: Significant figures indicate measurement precision. The calculator rounds results to the specified number of significant digits.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter both experimental and theoretical values, and specify the desired number of significant figures (default 3).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What does percent error tell us?
A: It quantifies how far an experimental value deviates from the expected value, expressed as a percentage of the expected value.

Q2: When is percent error most useful?
A: When comparing experimental results to known values or theoretical predictions in scientific experiments.

Q3: What's considered a "good" percent error?
A: This depends on the field, but generally lower is better. <5% is often acceptable, while >10% may indicate problems.

Q4: Why can't the theoretical value be zero?
A: Division by zero is undefined. For zero theoretical values, absolute error should be used instead.

Q5: How do significant figures affect the result?
A: They determine the precision of the reported percent error, matching the precision of your input measurements.