What is the Difference Between Exact and Accurate?
🆚 Go to Comparative Table 🆚The difference between "exact" and "accurate" lies in their definitions and usage:
- Exact: This term refers to something that is precisely correct or accurate in every detail, without any deviation. It is often used in reference to measurements or quantities. For example, an exact measurement of a circle's circumference to its diameter is pi (3.14159).
- Accurate: This term refers to something that is free from error, close to the truth, or in accordance with fact or truth. It is often used in reference to information or data. For example, a measurement of 3.1 is an accurate approximation of pi, as it is close to the correct value (3.14).
In summary:
- Exact implies precision, correctness, and no room for error.
- Accurate implies closeness to the truth or correctness within a certain margin of error.
It is important to understand the difference between exact and accurate in order to communicate effectively and use these terms appropriately in different contexts.
Comparative Table: Exact vs Accurate
The difference between "exact" and "accurate" can be summarized as follows:
Exact | Accurate |
---|---|
Emphasizes zero error or being perfect in every way | Emphasizes being close to the truth or within an acceptable range of error |
Synonymous with "precise" | Can be a less exact, but still close to the true and precise |
Means without any mistakes | Can be more forgiving than "exact" in terms of errors or deviations |
In the context of a table calculation, such as a Difference From table calculation, the focus is on computing the difference between the current value and another value in the table for each mark in the visualization. However, the concepts of exact and accurate are not directly related to table calculations, as they primarily deal with the level of detail and correctness in the data itself, rather than the calculations performed on the data.
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