A physical quantity P is related to four observables a, b, c and d as follows : P = a³b²/(√cd) The percentage errors of measurement in a, b, c and d are 1%, 3%, 4% and 2%, respectively. What is the percentage error in the quantity P ? If the value of P calculated using the above relation turns out to be 3.763, to what value should you round off the result ?
P= c d a 3 b 2 Maximum fractional error in P is given by P ΔP =±[3 a Δa +2 b Δb + 2 1 c Δc + d Δd ] On putting above value: =± 100 13 =0.13 Percentage error in P=13 % Value of P is given as 3.763. By rounding off the given value to the first decimal place, we get P=3.8.
