Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
A student measures a pendulum's length as , and times swings as . Find the period, , and the percentage error in . Which measurement adds more to the error?
For a sum or a difference, the absolute errors add. For a product or a quotient, the relative errors add, each multiplied by its power:
For a pendulum, .
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. Period. .
Step 2. g. .
Step 3. Errors. Length: . Time: , doubled to . Total .
Answer: ; , a error. The timing adds about three times as much as the length.
Watch out. Timing many swings is what keeps the time error small. One swing, timed to , would give about .
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