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Engineering and scientific investigation · Discover & try

What can repeated readings reveal?

Reading level 3 of 5 · IndependentChange
1 · Shorter sentences5 · More detail

Repeatability concerns the variation between measurements under stated conditions. A mean can reduce the influence of some random variation, but a systematic offset can remain. The invented datasets compare narrow spread, wide spread and a shifted group. A reference line helps separate agreement among readings from agreement with an accepted value.

Word help
Mean

The sum of readings divided by their number.

Spread

How far apart the readings lie.

Watch · Try · Explain

See how it works

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Invented readings with a displayed mean, range and optional reference. These summaries reveal different features of a measurement process.

What to look for
  • Compare tight and shifted groups.
  • Show the reference after inspecting the readings.
Explain what you noticed

A different virtual balance repeats readings that are all 3 g above a reference. What should be investigated?

Keep this idea: Agreement between repeated readings is different from agreement with a reference.

Follow the sources

Source material checked 2026-10-28. Explanations and activities by Nepedia. Source links do not imply endorsement.

Keep following the idea

Which claims does a graph actually support?

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