The precision of a measurement refers to the degree of consistency and reproducibility of that measurement. It indicates how close the readings or measurements are to each other when the same quantity is measured multiple times under the same conditions. High precision means that the measurements yield results that are very close together, while low precision indicates more variability among the measurements.
Precision is often indicated using significant figures or decimal places in the reported measurement. For instance, a measurement of 10.23 cm is considered more precise than a measurement of 10 cm because it provides more information about the exactness of the value. Additionally, statistical tools like standard deviation can also express precision; lower standard deviation implies higher precision in the measurements.