Lesson 1.

1
(Accuracy and Precision)

Precision and accuracy are two terms that are very critical especially on measurement and sampling. These
two terms are often used interchangeably but have different meaning technically. Precision refers to the
closeness of the measured value to each other, whereas accuracy refers to the closeness of the measured
value to the true value.
Results from measurements rely greatly on these two components: precision and accuracy.
 
In measuring, results can be both precise and accurate. This happens when the values of our measurements
are close to each other (precise), and close to the true value (accurate))
 
Next, measurements can be precise, but not accurate. This means that the measured values are close to
each other (precise) but is not close to the true value (accurate).
 
Another instance is that measurement can neither be precise nor accurate, in which measured value is not
close to each other and also not close to the true value
 
Lastly, if the measured value is close to the true value but not close to each other then we can say
theoretically that our measured values areaccurate but not precise.

The most common example of precision and accuracy is the dartboard. Here the player of dartboard
A indicates the high precision and high accuracy because all of the darts hit the bullseye, in dartboard B the
player has low accuracy but high precision because the dart hits the spot that is close to each other but is
away from the bullseye. Dartboard C player executed the high accuracy and low precision darts because the
darts hit near the bullseye but they are away from each other. Lastly, the dartboard D player has low
accuracy and low precision because the darts did not hit the bullseye and are also away from each other.
 

Lesson 1.2 (Scientific Notation)

  
Imagine writing or calculating a more or less 20 digit of numbers. Isn’t it hard? Or isn’t it consuming time,
paper, and energy? Right? Thus, scientists have developed a shorter method to express very large and small
numbers. This method is called scientific notation. Scientific Notation is based on powers of the base
number 10.
The number 143,000,000,000 in scientific notation is written as:
Wherein, thefirst number 1.43 is called the coefficient. It must be greater than or equal to 1 and less than 10.
The second number is called the base. It must always be 10 in scientific notation. The base number 10 is
always written in exponent form. In the number 1.43 x 1011, the number 11 is referred to as the exponent or
power of ten.
Using the given number below, move the decimal point to the left (remember that whole numbers always
have a decimal point at the end).

654, 321 6.54321 (decimal point moves 5 places to the left)

 
Next, multiply this number by 10 raised to the proper exponent (power). The proper exponent is the number
of places that the decimal point was moved.
6.54321 x 10 5
The sign on the exponent indicates the direction of the decimal point moved. If the decimal point was moved
to the right the exponent is negative and when the decimal point was moved to the left the exponent
is positive.
Scientific notation makes it easy for us to add, subtract, divide, and multiply large and small numbers. Here
are the rules to follow:

Operations on Scientific Notations

o Addition or subtraction
 RULES:
When adding and subtracting scientific notation with the same exponents,
simply perform the operations and copy the exponents while scientific
notation with different exponents, you must express the numbers as the same
power of 10 by changing the decimal place of the coefficient. 
 

Multiplication and Division

RULES in MULTIPLYING SCIENTIFIC NOTATION
 
   In multiplying standard notation, we must first change the equation into scientific notation. Then
perform the multiply the coefficient and then add the exponents.
   If the exponents are negative, we first multiply the coefficient then add the negative exponents
algebraically.
 RULES in DIVIDING SCIENTIFIC NOTATION
 
   When dividing numbers expressed in scientific notation, divide the
coefficients and subtract the exponents. The base remains 10