Precise but not accurate (was Re: 760ED-Hard Drive space)

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From: David Ross (ross_at_math.hawaii.edu)
Date: Sun May 17 1998 - 17:12:33 EDT


Harald Milz <hm_at_seneca.muc.de> wrote:

>James Mckenzie (os2support_at_theriver.com) wrote:
>> You are very naive if you think that IBM will provide accurate
>> information. They are very precise however.
>
>not accurate but very precise? I seem to have some language
>problem.

This is a common distinction in the mathematical sciences. If your pocket
calculator says that pi=3.000000000000000000, then it is a lot more precise
than *my* calculator, but nowhere near as accurate. I think this was a nice
way of describing the IBM website, though occasionally they also are not
precise (especially when describing weights and sizes of options).

David A. Ross
ross_at_math.hawaii.edu
www.math.hawaii.edu/~ross


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