# Measurement phrase: “determined to 1 cm precisely”, “centimeter-precision” [closed]

I'm not perfectly sure about the stated phrase (or similar ones since I had to translate it). Does it mean

• +-1 cm, or
• +-0.5 cm?

I guess many people use it in the first way but only the latter will give a range for our value that is exactly 1 cm.

## closed as primarily opinion-based by Jon Custer, David Hammen, ZeroTheHero, Kostya, John RennieMay 29 '17 at 7:21

Many good questions generate some degree of opinion based on expert experience, but answers to this question will tend to be almost entirely based on opinions, rather than facts, references, or specific expertise. If this question can be reworded to fit the rules in the help center, please edit the question.

• It is not a very exact terminology. I think the best if we say, the deviation is 1 cm. Note, many independent probability variable sums together always to a normal distribution. – user259412 May 28 '17 at 1:09
• I would assume that it means your uncertainty is $0.x$ cm, which I think is closer to the first statement. – Kyle Kanos May 28 '17 at 11:16