standard_description: Recognize that a measure of center for a numerical data set summarizes all of its values with a single number, while a measure of variation describes how its values vary with a single number.
problem_activity: Activity
In the warm-up, students learned that measurement error can result from the level of precision in a measuring device. In this activity, students learn about how real-world limitations on humans using measuring devices can introduce measurement errors. They discuss possible sources of error and express the error both as an amount and as a percentage. This is their first introduction into the concept of measurement error and how we use that to calculate percent error.
Launch
Keep students in groups of 2. Tell students that a soccer field is 120 yards long and ask them how they can measure that length using a 30-foot-long tape measure. (Note the use of two different units of measure, here.) If not mentioned by students, suggest measuring off 30 feet, making a mark, measuring off another 30 feet, and so on. Ask the class if they would all get exactly the same answer by this method. Tell students they are going to think more deeply about a specific measurement made by a person. Give the students 1–2 minutes of quiet work time to calculate the amount of the error and the percent error followed by partner and whole-group discussions.
Student Facing
A soccer field is 120 yards long. Han measures the length of the field using a 30-foot-long tape measure and gets a measurement of 358 feet, 10 inches.
What is the amount of the error?
Express the error as a percentage of the actual length of the field.
Student Response
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Anticipated Misconceptions
If students fail to see the need for converting units of measure, ask them how many feet are in 120 yards? How many inches?
Activity Synthesis
Ask students, "What is a possible cause of the error?" Possible reasons include:
He did not position the tape measure precisely every time he measured another 30 feet.
He didn't go in a completely straight line. (Although this would result in a longer measurement.)
Han did not correctly use the measuring tape.
Ask a few students to share their solutions for the last problem.
Explain to students,
measurement error
is the positive difference between the measurement and the actual value. The
percent error
is the error expressed as a percentage of the actual value. We always use a positive number to express percent error and, when appropriate, use words to describe whether the measurement is greater than or less than the actual value. In this case, we might say that the measured length was less than the actual length with a percent error of 0.32%.
Ask, "When might percent error be more useful than measurement error?" If needed, give an example of measuring a student's height and being incorrect by an inch versus measuring the height of a skyscraper and being incorrect by an inch. Although the measurement error is the same (1 inch), the percent error is very different since the 1 inch difference is significantly more important when measuring shorter distances.
Representation: Develop Language and Symbols.
Create a display of important terms and vocabulary. Invite students to suggest language or diagrams to include that will support their understanding of: measurement error and percent error.
Supports accessibility for: Memory; Language
Speaking: MLR7 Compare and Connect.
Use this routine when students present their strategies for calculating the percent error. Ask students to consider what is the same and what is different about each approach. Draw students' attention to the associations between the measurement, measurement error, and percent error. As students share what they noticed between the strategies, revoice their statements using the terms “measurement error” and “percent error.” These exchanges can strengthen students' mathematical language use and reasoning based on measurement errors.
Design Principle(s): Maximize meta-awareness


aligns: no