Uncertainty Excel Template

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Let us take the example of a 100m race in a school event. The race was timed using five different
stopwatches and each stopwatch recorded slightly different timing. The readings are 15.33 seconds,
15.21 seconds, 15.31 seconds, 15.25 seconds and 15.35 seconds. Calculate the uncertainty of the
timing based on the given information and present the timing with 68% confidence level.

Readings (xi) (xi – μ) (xi – μ)2

15.33 0.04 0.0016
15.21 -0.08 0.0064
15.31 0.02 0.0004
15.25 -0.04 0.0016
15.35 0.06 0.0036

Number of Reading (n) 5

Mean is calculated as:

Mean (μ) 15.29

Uncertainty is calculated using the formula given below

Uncertainty (u) = √ [∑ (xi - μ)2 / (n * (n-1))]

Uncertainty (u) 0.03

Let us take the example of John who has decided to sell off his real estate property which
is a barren land. He wants to measure the available area of the property. As per appointed
surveyor, 5 readings have been taken – 50.33 acre, 50.20 acre, 50.51 acre, 50.66 acre, and
50.40 acre. Express the land measurement with 95% and 99% confidence level.

Readings (xi) (xi – μ) (xi – μ)2

50.33 -0.09 0.0081
50.20 -0.22 0.0484
50.51 0.09 0.0081
50.66 0.24 0.0576
50.40 -0.02 0.0004

Number of Reading (n) 5

Mean is calculated as:

Mean (μ) 50.42

Uncertainty is calculated using the formula given below

Uncertainty (u) = √ [∑ (xi - μ)2 / (n * (n-1))]

Uncertainty (u) 0.08