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Date: Fri, 17 Feb 2012 11:03:42 +0100
Subject: Re: format a measurement result and its error in "scientific" way
From: Daniel Fetchinson <fetchinson@googlemail.com>
To: Python <python-list@python.org>
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Xref: x330-a1.tempe.blueboxinc.net comp.lang.python:20546

>> Hi folks, often times in science one expresses a value (say
>> 1.03789291) and its error (say 0.00089) in a short way by parentheses
>> like so: 1.0379(9)
>
> Before swallowing any Python solution, you should
> realize, the values (value, error) you are using are
> a non sense :
>
> 1.03789291 +/- 0.00089
>
> You express "more precision" in the value than
> in the error.

My impression is that you didn't understand the original problem:
given an arbitrary value to arbitrary digits and an arbitrary error,
find the relevant number of digits for the value that makes sense for
the given error. So what you call "non sense" is part of the problem
to be solved.

Cheers,
Daniel


-- 
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