A multiplicative error is proportional to the true value of the quantity being measured. An example of a multiplicative error is when electronic scales provide readings 1% higher than the true weight – i.e. 1.01 kg for 1.0 kg standard weight, 2.02 kg for a 2.0 kg standard weight, etc.
where
- is the result of a measurement of some quantity, say, weight;
- is the true value of the quantity;
- is relative value of the multiplicative error, often expressed in percent, e.g instead of
is is normally said that the error is 1%.
A related concept is additive error,
See also the short courses
Introduction to Statistics 1,