How to calculate percent error?

Percent error or percentage error is used in science to report the difference between an experimental and theoretical value, it can also be referred to as the difference between expected and actual value. Its major purpose is to gauge how close a measured value is to a true value. It helps one to find out the positive or negative status of an experiment.

To calculate the percent error, subtract the actual or accepted value from the experimental or expected value, then divide your answer by the accepted value multiply through by 100 and express your answer as a percentage. The formula for calculating percent error is

Percent error= experimental value- accepted value X 100
Accepted value

Percent error is also referred to as the percentage error. It is the difference between a measured value and the expected value. It is used to report the difference between experimental values and expected values. The following steps are used to calculate the percent error.

The percent error compares the actual number expressed in percent. You take the difference between the real answer and the guessed answer and now divide it by the real answer and turn it into percent

1. Subtract the accepted value from the experimental value.
2. Take the absolute value of step 1
3. Divide that answer by the accepted value.
4. Multiply that answer by 100 and add the % symbol to express the answer as a percentage.

Let us say that you would like to calculate percentage error but you do not know how to do it.

* You need to subtract the actual number from the estimated number so that you will know the error.

* You need to divide the error in absolute value by the actual number in absolute value.

* The best thing about this is that you can find the error in decimal format.

* Once you find the error in decimal format, multiply by 100% so that you can finally find the percentage error.

* Another method that you can do is to subtract the accepted value from the experimental value.

* You will then divide the answer that you have gotten by the accepted value.

* You can multiply that answer by 100. Do not forget to put the % sign so that people will know that they are looking at the percentage.

To calculate the percent error, you have to first calculate the values part of the equation.

• First of all, write down the formula for calculating percentage error, which is [(|Approx. Value - Exact Value|) / Exact value] × 100.

• Substitute your values into the formula. For example; [(1-2)/10] × 100.

• Then, you will subtract exact value from the approximate value. Continuing with the above example, you will have [-1/10] × 100.

• Obtain the absolute value of the result at the top: negative value can be changed to positive. From our example, you will have [1/10] × 100.

• Divide your result by the exact absolute value. Now, the bracket can be removed, and you will have 1/10 × 100.

• Convert your answer to decimal form. Now, the next step gives 0.1 × 100.

• Multiply the result by 100. Finally, your answer would be 10%.

• You can go through the process again to ensure that you obtain the right answer.