Calculate percent error to measure the accuracy of experimental results, measurements, and predictions compared to theoretical or expected values.
The accepted, true, or expected value
The observed or measured value
Where:
Lab Measurement:
Expected: 9.8 m/s², Measured: 9.6 m/s² = 2.04% error
Temperature Reading:
Expected: 100°C, Measured: 98.5°C = 1.5% error
Validate experimental results against theoretical predictions in physics, chemistry, and biology.
Assess manufacturing precision and measurement accuracy in production processes.
Evaluate the accuracy of measuring instruments and calibration procedures.
Compare model predictions with actual observations in research and analytics.
Percent error is calculated using the formula: |Experimental Value - Theoretical Value| / |Theoretical Value| × 100. It measures how far off an experimental measurement is from the expected or theoretical value.