The errors in the measurement which arise due to unpredictable fluctuations in temperature and voltage supply are :
Random errors
Instrumental errors
Personal errors
Least count errors
While measuring the acceleration due to gravity by a simple pendulum, a student makes a positive error of $1\%$ in the length of the pendulum and a negative error of $3\%$ in the value of time period. His percentage error in the measurement of $g$ by the relation $g = 4{\pi ^2}\left( {l/{T^2}} \right)$ will be ........ $\%$
The radius of a sphere is measured to be $(7.50 \pm 0.85) \,cm .$ Suppose the percentage error in its volume is $x$. The value of $x$, to the nearest integer is .....$\%$
If the measurement errors in all the independent quantities are known, then it is possible to determine the error in any dependent quantity. This is done by the use of series expansion and truncating the expansion at the first power of the error. For example, consider the relation $z=x / y$. If the errors in $x, y$ and $z$ are $\Delta x, \Delta y$ and $\Delta z$, respectively, then
$\mathrm{z} \pm \Delta \mathrm{z}=\frac{\mathrm{x} \pm \Delta \mathrm{x}}{\mathrm{y} \pm \Delta \mathrm{y}}=\frac{\mathrm{x}}{\mathrm{y}}\left(1 \pm \frac{\Delta \mathrm{x}}{\mathrm{x}}\right)\left(1 \pm \frac{\Delta \mathrm{y}}{\mathrm{y}}\right)^{-1} .$
The series expansion for $\left(1 \pm \frac{\Delta y}{y}\right)^{-1}$, to first power in $\Delta y / y$, is $1 \mp(\Delta y / y)$. The relative errors in independent variables are always added. So the error in $\mathrm{z}$ will be $\Delta \mathrm{z}=\mathrm{z}\left(\frac{\Delta \mathrm{x}}{\mathrm{x}}+\frac{\Delta \mathrm{y}}{\mathrm{y}}\right)$.
The above derivation makes the assumption that $\Delta x / x<<1, \Delta \mathrm{y} / \mathrm{y} \ll<1$. Therefore, the higher powers of these quantities are neglected.
($1$) Consider the ratio $\mathrm{r}=\frac{(1-\mathrm{a})}{(1+\mathrm{a})}$ to be determined by measuring a dimensionless quantity a.
If the error in the measurement of $\mathrm{a}$ is $\Delta \mathrm{a}(\Delta \mathrm{a} / \mathrm{a} \ll<1)$, then what is the error $\Delta \mathrm{r}$ in
$(A)$ $\frac{\Delta \mathrm{a}}{(1+\mathrm{a})^2}$ $(B)$ $\frac{2 \Delta \mathrm{a}}{(1+\mathrm{a})^2}$ $(C)$ $\frac{2 \Delta \mathrm{a}}{\left(1-\mathrm{a}^2\right)}$ $(D)$ $\frac{2 \mathrm{a} \Delta \mathrm{a}}{\left(1-\mathrm{a}^2\right)}$
($2$) In an experiment the initial number of radioactive nuclei is $3000$ . It is found that $1000 \pm$ $40$ nuclei decayed in the first $1.0 \mathrm{~s}$. For $|\mathrm{x}| \ll 1$, In $(1+\mathrm{x})=\mathrm{x}$ up to first power in $x$. The error $\Delta \lambda$, in the determination of the decay constant $\lambda$, in $\mathrm{s}^{-1}$, is
$(A) 0.04$ $(B) 0.03$ $(C) 0.02$ $(D) 0.01$
Give the answer quetion ($1$) and ($2$)
A force $F$ is applied on a square area of side $L$. If the percentage error in the measurement of $L$ is $2 \%$ and that in $F$ is $4 \%$, what is the maximum percentage error in pressure is .......... $\%$
Calculate the mean $\%$ error in five observation
$80.0,80.5,81.0,81.5,82$