Accuracy and precision

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Accuracy and Precision Definitions

– Accuracy is the proximity of measurements to the accepted value.
– Precision is the degree to which repeated measurements show the same results.
– Accuracy describes systematic errors, while precision describes random errors.
– High accuracy requires both high precision and high trueness.
Accuracy and precision can be independent of each other.

Accuracy and Precision in Different Fields

Accuracy and precision are important in science and engineering.
– Accuracy is the degree of closeness of measurements to the true value.
– Precision is the degree to which repeated measurements show the same results.
Accuracy and precision are deliberately contrasted in the scientific method.
– In statistics, bias and variability are used instead of accuracy and precision.
Accuracy and precision are important in numerical analysis.
– Accuracy is the nearness of a calculation to the true value.
– Precision is the resolution of the representation, defined by the number of digits.
Accuracy and precision are crucial in military terms, specifically in the accuracy of fire.
– Accuracy is the measurement tolerance in industrial instrumentation.
– Precision refers to the transmission of the instrument and the limits of errors.
Accuracy and precision are related to measurement tolerance and traceable standards.

Evaluation Metrics and Measurement Techniques

– Accuracy is a statistical measure of correctly identifying or excluding a condition in binary classification.
– Precision is a different metric used in information retrieval.
– Multiclass classification accuracy is the fraction of correct classifications.
– Top-5 accuracy is commonly used in convolutional neural network evaluation.
– Accuracy is interchangeably used with validity and constant error in psychometrics and psychophysics.
– Precision is a synonym for reliability and variable error in psychometrics and psychophysics.
– Precision and recall are commonly used metrics in information retrieval systems.
– Comparing accurate models in logic simulation to transistor circuit simulation models focuses on differences in precision, not accuracy.
– Information retrieval systems are evaluated using various metrics derived from the confusion matrix, including precision and recall.
– Accuracy measures the propensity of a cognitive process to produce the intended or desired output.
– Precision measures the propensity of a cognitive process to produce only the intended or desired output.
Accuracy and precision help characterize and measure cognitive processes in biological or artificial entities.

Factors Affecting Accuracy and Precision

– Instrument calibration plays a crucial role in achieving accuracy.
– Human error can introduce inaccuracies in measurements.
– Environmental conditions, such as temperature and humidity, can affect accuracy.
– Systematic errors, such as instrument bias, can impact accuracy.
– Accuracy can be improved by using more precise instruments or techniques.
– Random errors can cause variations in measured values and reduce precision.
– Repeatability, the ability to reproduce measurements, affects precision.
– Precision can be affected by limitations in the measuring instrument.
– Sample size can influence the precision of statistical estimates.
– Precision can be improved by reducing sources of variation and increasing sample size.

Importance and Applications of Accuracy and Precision

– Accurate and precise measurements are essential for scientific research.
Accuracy and precision contribute to the reproducibility of experiments.
– Scientific theories and models rely on accurate and precise data.
– Inaccurate or imprecise measurements can lead to incorrect conclusions.
Accuracy and precision are fundamental to the scientific method.
Accuracy and precision are crucial in fields such as engineering and manufacturing.
– Medical diagnostics require accurate and precise measurements for proper treatment.
– Environmental monitoring relies on accurate and precise data for assessing pollution levels.
– Quality control in industries depends on accurate and precise measurements.
– Accurate and precise measurements are necessary for reliable data analysis. Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accuracy_and_precision

Accuracy and precision are two measures of observational error. Accuracy is how close a given set of measurements (observations or readings) are to their true value, while precision is how close the measurements are to each other.

In other words, precision is a description of random errors, a measure of statistical variability. Accuracy has two definitions:

  1. More commonly, it is a description of only systematic errors, a measure of statistical bias of a given measure of central tendency; low accuracy causes a difference between a result and a true value; ISO calls this trueness.
  2. Alternatively, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) defines accuracy as describing a combination of both types of observational error (random and systematic), so high accuracy requires both high precision and high trueness.

In the first, more common definition of "accuracy" above, the concept is independent of "precision", so a particular set of data can be said to be accurate, precise, both, or neither.

In simpler terms, given a statistical sample or set of data points from repeated measurements of the same quantity, the sample or set can be said to be accurate if their average is close to the true value of the quantity being measured, while the set can be said to be precise if their standard deviation is relatively small.

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