Physics 121/122 Laboratory

Calculating Uncertainties
Please see your lab manual for further details and examples.

Absolute and Relative Errors (Uncertainties)

Consider two quantities x x and y y. The errors x and y can be expressed either as
some fixed, definite value or as a ratio with the measured quantity. The first case is referred to
as the absolute error, the latter as the relative error (which is often expressed as a percentage).
In some cases it is easier to work with absolute rather than relative errors (and vice-versa), so
be familiar with both.
(eg.) You find the length of the object to be 10.2 cm, with an absolute error of 0.2 cm; the
length is reported as 10.2 0.2 cm. You could express this error as a percentage of the length:
percent error =

0.2
L
100 =
100 = 1.961%
L
10.2

where L/L is the relative error. Thus the length is also 10.2 cm 1.96%.

Addition and Subtraction

z = x + y z = x + y
z = x y z = x + y

Addition
Subtraction

Adding or subtracting x and y results in a total absolute uncertainty which is the sum of each
of the individual absolute uncertainties.
(eg.) You measure a zero value (starting point) of a meter stick as x = 0.10 0.05 cm. You
measure the position of the end of an object as being y = 10.34 0.05 cm. The length of the
object is just the difference: L = y x = 10.34 0.10 = 10.24 cm. The uncertainty is given by
the rule for addition/subtraction:
L = y + x = 0.05 + 0.05 = 0.1 cm
L L = 10.2 0.1 cm
We round the absolute uncertainty to 1 sig fig and match precisions in our final answer.

Multiplication or Division by a constant

z = Cx z = Cx
x
x
z=
z =
C
C

Multiplication by constant
Division by constant

Multiplication or division by a constant C just multiplies or divides the absolute uncertainty

by the same constant, C. NOTE: the relative error, z/z, is not affected!

(eg.) The circumference of a circle is given by C = 2r = d, where d is the diameter of the

circle. If you measure d d = 1.2 0.1 cm, the uncertainty in the circumference C is given
by the rule for multiplication by a constant:
C = (2d) = 2d = 2(0.1) = 0.628 cm
C C = 7.5 0.6 cm
We round the absolute uncertainty to 1 sig fig and match precisions in our final answer.
(eg.) The radius of a circle is given by r = d/2, where d is the diameter of the circle. If you
measure d d = 1.2 0.1 cm, the uncertainty in the radius r is given by the rule for division
by a constant:
d
1
1
= d = (0.1) = 0.05 cm
2
2
2
r r = 0.60 0.05 cm
r =

 

We round the absolute uncertainty to 1 sig fig and match precisions in our final answer.

Multiplication and Division using relative uncertainties

The relative uncertainty z/z resulting from multiplication or division of x and y is found by
simply adding the relative errors in x and y:
z = xy
z=

x
y

z
x y
=
+
z
x
y
z
x y
=
+
z
x
y

Multiplication
Division

To convert this to an absolute error, multiply the relative error by z:

z
x y
z = z
= z
+
z
x
y


(eg.) The area of a rectangle is given by A = l w, where l and w are the length and width
of the rectangle. You measure l l = 2.4 0.1 cm and w w = 0.8 0.1 cm. The area
A = l w = (2.4) (0.8) = 1.92 cm2 . The uncertainty in the area, A, is given by the rule
for multiplication, where x = l, y = w and z = A:
A
A

l w
+
l
w

First we need to find the relative errors l/l and w/w:

l
l
w
w

=
=

0.1
= 0.0417 (or 4.2%)
2.4
0.1
= 0.125 (or 12.5%)
0.8

The relative error in A is just the sum of the relative errors in l and w:
A
A

l w
+
l
w

= 0.0417 + 0.125 = 0.167 (or 16.7%)

The absolute and relative errors in A are reported as

A
= 1.92 (0.167) = 0.321 cm2
A
A A = 1.9 0.3 cm2 = 1.9 cm2 17%
A = A

We round the absolute uncertainty to 1 sig fig and match precisions in our final answer; the
relative uncertainty is rounded to the same sig figs as the answer in the absolute case.
(eg.) The fraction of used capacity is given by F = Vused/Vtot , where Vused and Vtot are
the used and total volumes of a container. You found Vused Vused = 0.9 0.1 cm3 and
Vtot Vtot = 1.70.1 cm3 . The fraction of used capacity is F = Vused /Vtot = 0.9/1.7 = 0.529.
The uncertainty in the fraction of used capacity, F , is given by the rule for division, where
x = Vused , y = Vtot and z = F :
F
F

Vused Vtot
+
Vused
Vtot

First we need to find the relative errors Vused/Vused and Vtot /Vtot :
Vused/Vused =
Vtot /Vtot =

0.1
= 0.111 (or 11.1%)
0.9
0.1
= 0.059 (or 5.9%)
1.7

The relative error in F is just the sum of the relative errors in Vused and Vtot :
F
F

Vused Vtot
+
Vused
Vtot

= 0.111 + 0.059 = 0.170 (or 17%)

The absolute and relative errors in F are reported as

F
F F

F
= 0.529 (0.17) = 0.089895 cm3
F
= 0.53 0.09 cm3 = 0.53 cm3 17%

= F

We round the absolute uncertainty to 1 sig fig and match precisions in our final answer; the
relative uncertainty is rounded to the same sig figs as the answer in the absolute case.

Exponents or Powers

The relative uncertainty z/z resulting from raising x to a power n is found by simply multiplying the relative error in x by n:
z = xn

z
x
=n
z
x

Exponent or Power

To convert this to an absolute error, multiply the relative error by z:

z = z

z
x
= z n
z
x


(eg.) The volume of a cube is given by V = s3 , where s is the length of one side of the cube.
You measure s s = 2.05 0.01 cm. The volume V = s3 = (2.05)3 = 8.62 cm3 . The
uncertainty in the volume, V , is given by the rule for powers, where x = s, n = 3 and z = V :
V
V

s
= n
s


First we need to find the relative error s/s:

s
s

0.01
= 0.0049 (or 0.5%)
2.05

The relative error in V is just n times the relative error in s:

V
V

s
= n
s


= (3)(0.0049) = 0.0147 (or 1.5%)

The absolute and relative errors in V are reported as

V
V V

V
= 8.62 (0.0147) = 0.127 cm3
V
= 8.6 0.1 cm3 = 8.6 cm3 1.5%

= V

We round the absolute uncertainty to 1 sig fig and match precisions in our final answer; the
relative uncertainty is rounded to the same sig figs as the answer in the absolute case.

Trigonometric Functions

The absolute uncertainty z resulting from applying a trig function is:

z = cos z = cos( + ) cos

Trig Fncs

Other trig functions work similarly, e.g. swap sin or tan for cos above.
(eg.) Find the uncertainty in sin if = 168 2 .
sin = sin( + ) sin

= sin(168 + 2 ) sin(168 ) = 0.17365 .20791 = 0.0343

sin sin = 0.17 0.03

We round the absolute uncertainty to 1 sig fig and match precisions in our final answer.

Complex Uncertainty Calculations

More complicated calculations use combinations of the above rules. Here are a few examples
to get you started. A helpful trick is to break complicated uncertainties down step-by-step,
rather than trying to apply the rules all in one step.
(eg.) The volume of a sphere is given by V = 43 r 3 = 6 d3 , where d is diameter of the sphere.
You measure d d = 1.28 0.01 cm. The volume V = 6 d3 = 6 (1.28)3 = 1.098 cm3 . The
relative error in the diameter is d/d = (0.01)/(1.28) = .0078 = 0.8%. The uncertainty in the
volume, V , is given by the rules for powers AND multiplication by a constant. Working our
way outward, we start by dealing with the power d3 in V ; the relative error in d3 is just 3
times the relative error in d:
(d3 )
d3

d
= n
d


= (3)(0.0078) = 0.023 (or 2.3%)

Next we deal with multiplication by a constant. Multiplication by a constant C just multiplies

the absolute uncertainty by the same constant, C; however remember that the relative
4

error is not affected! Since the relative error in d3 is 2.3%, the relative error in
2.3%. And so
( 6 d3 )
(V )
(d3 )
=
=
= 0.023 (or 2.3%)
3
V
d3
6d

3
6d

is also

The absolute and relative errors in V are reported as

V
= 1.098 (0.023) = 0.0253 cm3
V = V
V
V V = 1.10 0.03 cm3 = 1.10 cm3 2.30%

We round the absolute uncertainty to 1 sig fig and match precisions in our final answer; the
relative uncertainty is rounded to the same sig figs as the answer in the absolute case.

(eg.) The length of the hypoteneuse of a triangle is given by C = A2 + B 2 . If A = 3.0 0.1

cm and B = 4.0 0.2 cm, then the uncertainty in
the hypoteneuse,
the rules
C will involve
p
2 + B2 =
2 + B2 =
2 + (4)2 =
for
powers
AND
addition.
The
hypoteneuse
C
=
A
A
(3)

25 = 5.0 cm. The relative errors in A and B are A/A = 0.1/3.0 = 0.033 = 3.3% and
B/B = 0.2/4.0 = 0.05 = 5.0%. Working our way outward, we start by dealing with the
error in the terms A2 and B 2 in the expression for C. Using the rules for powers, the relative
error in each case is just 2 times the respective relative errors:
(A2 )
A2
(B 2 )
B2

A
= n
= (2)(0.033) = 0.066 (or 6.6%)
A


B
= n
= (2)(0.05) = 0.10 (or 10.0%)
B


Next we deal with the error in A2 +B 2 . Adding two values results in a total absolute uncertainty
which is just the sum of each of the individual absolute uncertainties. NOTE that we must
add absolute, not relative uncertainties. So our first step is to find the absolute errors in A2
and B 2 :
(A2 )
(A2 ) = A2
= = (3)2 (0.066) = 0.59 cm2
A2
(B 2 )
(B 2 ) = B 2
= = (4)2 (0.10) = 1.6 cm2
B2
From the rule for addition,
(A2 + B 2 ) = (A2 ) + (B 2 ) = 0.59 + 1.6 = 2.2 cm2
Converting this to a relative error,
(A2 + B 2 )
(A2 + B 2 )

2.2
= 0.088(or 8.8%)
(32 + 42 )

Finally, we deal with the square root, which is just a power rule with n = 1/2:

(C)
1 (A2 + B 2 )
( A2 + B 2 )

=
=

= (0.5)(0.088) = 0.044 (or 4.4%)

C
2
(A2 + B 2 )
A2 + B 2
The absolute and relative errors in C are reported as
C
C = C
= 5.0 (0.044) = 0.022 cm
C
C C = 5.00 0.02 cm = 5.00 cm 4.40%

We round the absolute uncertainty to 1 sig fig and match precisions in our final answer; the
relative uncertainty is rounded to the same sig figs as the answer in the absolute case.
5