ADAPT Program: Lesson Plans
Date of this Version
1988
Abstract
Not all repeated measurements of the same physical quantity will give the same numerical value. Consider the following case:
Two groups, morning and afternoon, of students went out on campus and made repeated determinations of the height of Hamilton Hall and Mueller Tower. The six morning teams made a total of 18 different determinations on the height of each structure. The eight afternoon teams obtained 24 values. Shown below:
1. List a variety of ways you can determine a "best" value for each height.
2. Select a method and do it for each height.
3. What is a value for the uncertainty or possible error in your "best" values and how can you determine that.
4. Determine the "best values" for the heights of the 2 buildings from: morning data, afternoon data, all data.
5. Estimate an uncertainty for each group's data and all of the data.