ERROR AND UNCERTAINTY IN MEASUREMENT This is the subject of a future class, but the idea is so important that I mention it today as well In engineering the word"error", when used to describe an aspect of measurement does not necessarily carry the connotation of mistake or blunder(although it can!) Error in a measurement means the inevitable uncertainty that attends all measurements We cannot avoid errors in this sense We can ensure that they are as small as reasonably possible and that we have a reliable estimate of how small they are [Adapted from Taylor, J.R,An Introduction to Error Analysis; The Study of Uncertainties in Physical Measurements"]ERROR AND UNCERTAINTY IN MEASUREMENT • This is the subject of a future class, but the idea is so important that I mention it today as well • In engineering the word “error”, when used to describe an aspect of measurement does not necessarily carry the connotation of mistake or blunder (although it can!) • Error in a measurement means the inevitable uncertainty that attends all measurements • We cannot avoid errors in this sense • We can ensure that they are as small as reasonably possible and that we have a reliable estimate of how small they are [Adapted from Taylor, J. R, “An Introduction to Error Analysis; The Study of Uncertainties in Physical Measurements”] 3