Groups > comp.lang.python > #20546

Re: format a measurement result and its error in "scientific" way

References	<mailman.5869.1329351490.27778.python-list@python.org> <955b9613-2386-40ef-bbf7-c60ef623b0cd@k6g2000vbz.googlegroups.com>
Date	2012-02-17 11:03 +0100
Subject	Re: format a measurement result and its error in "scientific" way
From	Daniel Fetchinson <fetchinson@googlemail.com>
Newsgroups	comp.lang.python
Message-ID	<mailman.5914.1329473025.27778.python-list@python.org> (permalink)

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>> 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


-- 
Psss, psss, put it down! - http://www.cafepress.com/putitdown

Thread

format a measurement result and its error in "scientific" way Daniel Fetchinson <fetchinson@googlemail.com> - 2012-02-16 01:18 +0100
  Re: format a measurement result and its error in "scientific" way jmfauth <wxjmfauth@gmail.com> - 2012-02-17 01:17 -0800
    Re: format a measurement result and its error in "scientific" way Daniel Fetchinson <fetchinson@googlemail.com> - 2012-02-17 11:03 +0100
      Re: format a measurement result and its error in "scientific" way jmfauth <wxjmfauth@gmail.com> - 2012-02-17 04:13 -0800
  Re: format a measurement result and its error in "scientific" way Ulrich Eckhardt <ulrich.eckhardt@dominolaser.com> - 2012-02-17 12:16 +0100

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