Compute Percent Error
Examples and Scenarios
| # | Measured | Accepted | Abs Error | Signed Error | % Error |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9.80 | 9.81 | 0.01 | -0.01 | 0.10193 |
| 2 | 100.5 | 100 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
| 3 | 0.96 | 1.00 | 0.04 | -0.04 | 4.0 |
Percent Error Chart
Bars show percent error values from the table to visualize trends.Formula Used and Notes
Percent Error (unsigned) quantifies how far a measured value is from an accepted value relative to the accepted value:
|measured − accepted| / |accepted| × 100%
We also show absolute error |measured − accepted| and signed error measured − accepted so you can see direction.
- If the accepted value is zero, percent error is undefined. This tool prevents division by zero.
- Use significant figures appropriate to your context. You can copy results precisely from the table.
- Chart updates whenever the table changes to reveal patterns across multiple trials.