TOPICS
Search

Relative Error


Let the true value of a quantity be x and the measured or inferred value x_0. Then the relative error is defined by

 deltax=(Deltax)/x=(x_0-x)/x=(x_0)/x-1,

where Deltax is the absolute error. The relative error of the quotient or product of a number of quantities is less than or equal to the sum of their relative errors. The percentage error is 100% times the relative error.


See also

Absolute Error, Error Propagation, Percentage Error

Explore with Wolfram|Alpha

References

Abramowitz, M. and Stegun, I. A. (Eds.). Handbook of Mathematical Functions with Formulas, Graphs, and Mathematical Tables, 9th printing. New York: Dover, p. 14, 1972.

Referenced on Wolfram|Alpha

Relative Error

Cite this as:

Weisstein, Eric W. "Relative Error." From MathWorld--A Wolfram Web Resource. https://mathworld.wolfram.com/RelativeError.html

Subject classifications