Blundell Thermal Physics · Problem 3.6

Probability

Physics — Statistical Mechanics · error-reduction-repeated-measurements

Problem

In experimental physics, it is important to repeat measurements. Assuming that errors are random, show that if the error in making a single measurement of a quantity XX is Δ\Delta, the error obtained after using nn measurements is Δ/n\Delta/\sqrt{n}. (Hint: after nn measurements, the procedure would be to take the nn results and average them. So you require the standard deviation of the quantity Y=(X1+X2+⋯+Xn)/nY = (X_1 + X_2 + \cdots + X_n)/n where X1,X2,…,XnX_1, X_2, \ldots, X_n can be assumed to be independent, and each has standard deviation Δ\Delta.)

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