Online Calculators

# Percent Error Calculator

Percent Error Calculator
$\dfrac{| E-T |}{| T |}\times100 = \; ?$
% Error comparing
Experimental to Theoretical
Answer:

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## Calculator Use

This Percent Error Calculator (% error calculator) will calculate the percentage error between an experimental measured value and a theoretical actual value.

### Percentage Error Formula

$$\text{Percentage Error} = \dfrac{| E-T |}{| T |}\times100$$

Where E is the experimental value and T is the theoretical value. This formula is similar to percentage change.

For example, how to calculate the percentage error:

Suppose you did an experiment to measure the boiling point of water and your results average to 101.5°C. This is your experimental (measured) value. We know that the actual boiling point of water is 100°C, so this is your theoretical (actual) value. What is the % error between E = 101.5°C and T = 100°C?

Plug numbers into our percentage error formula

$$\dfrac{| E-T |}{| T |}\times100$$
$$= \dfrac{(101.5 - 100)}{|100|} \times 100$$
$$= \dfrac{1.5}{100} \times 100$$
$$= 0.015 \times 100$$
$$= 1.5\% \;$$
$$= 1.5\% \; \text{error}$$

Cite this content, page or calculator as:

Furey, Edward "Percent Error Calculator" at https://www.calculatorsoup.com/calculators/algebra/percent-error-calculator.php from CalculatorSoup, https://www.calculatorsoup.com - Online Calculators

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