Question

Is precision a measure of how close an answer is to the actual or expected value?

Answer 1

`"Precision"` describes repeatability. `"Accuracy"` describes the closeness of a measurement to the actual value.

Explanation:

So your measurements may be precise but not accurate; for example if you used a faulty measurement system. And of course, you could get accurate results SOME of the time (which describes the exprerience of most researchers).

Errors in precision are usually detected.........eventually, invariably after you have shot your mouth off to your professor.