Which term describes the consistency of repeated measurements?

The term that describes the consistency of repeated measurements is precision. Precision refers to how close together multiple measurements are when the same quantity is measured multiple times under the same conditions. High precision indicates a small range of variation among results, meaning that repeated measurements yield values that are very similar to each other, even if they are not necessarily close to the true value.

This concept is crucial in fields like engineering and scientific research, where consistent results are necessary for developing reliable conclusions and making informed decisions based on those measurements. For example, if you weigh an object multiple times and consistently obtain similar weights, this indicates high precision.

On the other hand, accuracy refers to how close a measured value is to the true or accepted value. Reliability is associated with the overall consistency of a measure over time, which includes not just precision but also the ability to maintain the same results under varied conditions. Validity refers to whether a measurement actually measures what it is intended to measure, which is a different concept altogether.