Calculator Accuracy & Usefulness

[Matt Agajanian]

(05-29-2015 02:03 AM)SlideRule Wrote:  

(05-29-2015 01:14 AM)Matt Agajanian Wrote:  ... how can any calculator be trusted as yielding reliable answers?

PURE numbers have infinite precision, measurements do NOT. I would suggest this posture as a FIRST sieve in assessing a calculation as a reliable answer. Calculations in the Physical Science disipline necessitate approximation PRIOR to any number crunching, especially when the numerical inputs to the analytical expression are attained through measurement, since ALL measurements intoduce UNCERTAINTY. I trust the reliabilty of my calculator because I understand the limitations of my disipline.



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SlideRule

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This satisfies my lifelong pondering because it completely answers how calculator results are regarded and accepted within context, applicability and reason.

As often as I've heard that the sciences and other math-dependant professions demand accuracy, this answer fully clarifies how calculator results are regarded and understood.