13/08/2026
Accuracy and precision often get used interchangeably, but they are not the same thing.
Precision means you get the same result every time. Accuracy means that result is actually right.
Imagine someone throwing darts. If every dart lands clustered together in the same spot, that's precision. But if that cluster is in the top corner of the board instead of the bullseye, it's precisely inaccurate. Now picture someone else whose darts land all over the board, scattered nowhere near each other, but if you average out where they all landed, the centre point sits right on the bullseye. This is accurate, but not precise.
Neither one on its own is worth much. High precision with low accuracy just means your mistake is consistent, which can actually be more dangerous, because it looks trustworthy. However, this can often be corrected for to make it accurate and precise.
Accurate but imprecise means you got the right answer this time, but you can't count on it happening again.
The goal is both at once: a tight cluster, centred on the bullseye.
Next time someone says a result is "pretty accurate" when they really mean "it doesn't change much," it's worth pointing out the difference, or ask them what they really mean. In casual conversation, they’re OK to use interchangeably, but certainly not in a laboratory or analytical setting.
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