Which concept refers to systematic errors in measurement?

The concept that refers to systematic errors in measurement is accuracy. In surveying and various forms of measurement, accuracy relates to how closely a measured value aligns with the true or accepted standard value. Systematic errors, often referred to as biases, consistently skew measurements in a particular direction, leading to inaccuracies in the results. These errors can be identified and adjusted for, allowing surveyors to improve the overall accuracy of their measurements.

In contrast, precision is about the consistency of repeated measurements and does not account for systematic errors. Precision pertains to the degree to which repeated measurements produce the same results, reflecting the resolution of the measuring instruments rather than their alignment with a true value. Variance refers to the statistical measure of the dispersion in a set of data points, while consistency relates to the reliability of measurements over time or across different conditions but does not specifically address systematic errors.

Thus, focusing on the definition of accuracy clarifies why it is the correct concept for describing systematic errors in measurement.