Re: [Phys-l] Symbol for uncertainty

[William Robertson <wrobert9@ix.netcom.com>]

I notice on your URL that there is no choice for a simple +- notation.  
Is there any reason to be dissatisfied with that?

Bill



On May 10, 2011, at 8:19 PM, James McLean wrote:

> Hi all,
>
> I'm curious about what symbol everyone here uses for uncertainty in
> measurement.  One can get a long way without using any particular
> symbol, but in some situations (e.g., teaching about uncertainty
> propagation) you need an algebraic symbol to represent the  
> uncertainty,
> separate from the measured value.
>
> * Many at my college use capital-delta-x (for variable x).  I prefer  
> to
> avoid that because the same symbol is used for "change in x".
> * Some like to use sigma-sub-x.  But the way I read things, that  
> really
> should be reserved specifically for standard deviation.  Some
> uncertainties aren't standard deviations.
> * NIST recommends u(x), but I don't particularly like that because it
> looks like a functional relationship.
>
> So let the masses speak!  I've set up a survey at the URL
> <http://survey.geneseo.edu:8080/survey/entry.jsp?id=1305076116174>
> Go there to register your preference!  When the votes stop rolling in,
> I'll report on the results.
>
> Cheers,
> -- James
> --
> Dr. James McLean                     phone: (585) 245-5897
> Dept. of Physics and Astronomy       FAX:   (585) 245-5116
> SUNY Geneseo                         email: mclean@geneseo.edu
> 1 College Circle                     web: http://www.geneseo.edu/~mclean
> Geneseo, NY  14454-1401
> _______________________________________________
> Forum for Physics Educators
> Phys-l@carnot.physics.buffalo.edu
> https://carnot.physics.buffalo.edu/mailman/listinfo/phys-l