Calculate the percentage error between an experimental (observed) value and a theoretical (accepted) value. Used in science, engineering, and statistics.
Enter experimental, theoretical pairs (one per line, comma-separated):
| Metric | Value |
|---|
Percent Error = |Experimental − Theoretical| / |Theoretical| × 100%
A percent error of 0% means perfect accuracy. Lower is better. In most science experiments, errors below 5% are considered acceptable. The acceptable range depends on the context and precision of instruments used.
Percent error compares a measured value to a known true value. Percent difference compares two measured values where neither is considered the "true" value: |V1−V2|/((V1+V2)/2) × 100%.