What term describes the smallest unit of measurement an instrument can display?

What term describes the smallest unit of measurement an instrument can display?

• A. Resolution
• B. Accuracy
• C. Tolerance
• D. Scale

Answer: (A)

Resolution is the smallest increment the instrument can display or read. This tells you how finely you can subdivide a measurement with that tool, which is exactly what the question is asking. Accuracy, on the other hand, is how close the measurement is to the true value, not how finely you can read it. Tolerance describes how much variation is allowed in a part’s dimension, not the instrument’s readout granularity. Scale refers to the markings on the instrument, which influence readability but don’t define the smallest display increment. So the best choice is resolution, since it directly captures the limit of the readout’s fineness.

Resolution is the smallest increment the instrument can display or read. This tells you how finely you can subdivide a measurement with that tool, which is exactly what the question is asking. Accuracy, on the other hand, is how close the measurement is to the true value, not how finely you can read it. Tolerance describes how much variation is allowed in a part’s dimension, not the instrument’s readout granularity. Scale refers to the markings on the instrument, which influence readability but don’t define the smallest display increment. So the best choice is resolution, since it directly captures the limit of the readout’s fineness.