Designation: D 4460 – 97

Standard Practice for

Calculating Precision Limits Where Values are Calculated
from Other Test Methods1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation D 4460; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope limit of the random variable is determined by the standard

1.1 This practice describes techniques for calculating preci- deviation of the variable. The standard deviation of a random
sion limits when values are calculated from two other methods variable that is the sum, difference, product, or quotient of two
having precision limits. other random variables can be calculated simply so long as the
1.2 This standard does not purport to address all of the individual variables are independent and the standard devia-
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the tions are small relative to their mean values. These restrictions
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- are usually met in ASTM methods. In those cases where these
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- restrictions are not met, other methods can be used. Only cases
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. complying with the restrictions are covered in this standard.

2. Referenced Documents 5. Procedure

2.1 ASTM Standards: 5.1 The standard deviation on which precision limits for a
D 1188 Test Method for Bulk Specific Gravity and Density test result are based can be calculated from the following
of Compacted Bituminous Mixtures Using Paraffin-Coated equations:
Specimens2 sx 6 y 5 =sx 2 1 sy 2
D 2041 Test Method for Theoretical Maximum Specific (1)
Gravity of Bituminous Paving Mixtures2
D 3203 Test Method for Percent Air Voids in Compacted where:
Dense and Open Bituminous Paving Mixtures2 sx 6y 5 standard deviation for determining precision lim-
E 177 Practice for Use of the Terms Precision and Bias in its of a test result for a new standard based on
ASTM Test Methods3 either an addition or subtraction of test results
from two other standards,
3. Terminology Definitions sx 5 standard deviation from precision statement of
3.1 For definitions of terms used in this document, consult one of the standards on which new standard is
Practice E 177, or a standard dictionary, or a statistical text based, and
from Refs. (1, 2, and 3).4 sy 5 standard deviation from precision statement of
other standard on which new standard is based.
4. Significance and Use The distributions of the test results from the two standards
4.1 Precision limits for a test result which is calculated by should be independent.
addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division of two other sxy 5 = ȳ 2sx2 1 x̄ 2sy2 (2)
test results that have valid precision limits can be calculated
directly. This saves the cost and delay of conducting an where:
interlaboratory study. sx y 5 standard deviation for determining precision limits
4.2 At the heart of statistical theory is the concept of a of test results for a new standard based on the
frequency distribution of a random variable. The precision products of two other test results from two other
standards,
sx 5 standard deviation from precision statement of one
1
This practice is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee D-4 on Road and of the standards on which new standard is based,
Paving Materials and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee D04.94on
Statistical Procedures and Evaluation of Data.
x̄ 5 mean or average value of X variable,
Current edition approved Nov. 10, 1997. Published April 1998 Originally sy 5 standard deviation from precision statement of other
published as D 4460–85. standard on which new standard is based, and
2

3
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 04.03. ȳ 5 mean or average value of Y variable.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 14.02.
4
The boldface numbers in parentheses refer to the list of references at the end of
this standard.

Copyright © ASTM, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

1
 D 4460

s xy 5 Œ
ȳ 2sx 2 1 x̄ 2sy 2
ȳ 4
(3)
sx, sy, x̄, ȳ 5 definitions given above.

An example in Appendix X1. illustrates how the equations

(4)

are applied.
where
s ⁄ 5 standard deviation for determining precision limits of
xy

test results for a new standard based on the quotient of 6. Keywords

two test results from two other standards. 6.1 precision limits; standard deviation

APPENDIX

(Nonmandatory Information)

X1. EXAMPLE OF CALCULATED PRECISION LIMITS

X1.1 Test Method D 3203 calculates the percent air voids Method D 1188) of an asphalt mixture was determined to be
in paving mixtures by using values obtained from Test Meth- 2.423 and the theoretical maximum specific gravity (Test
ods D 1188 and D 2041. Both of these test methods have Method D 2041) was determined to be 2.523.
precision statements so a precision statement can be calculated
for Test Method D 3203. X1.3 Eq 3 was used to calculate the single-operator
precision standard deviation for these specific gravity values.
X1.2 Calculating Air Voids:
Standard deviation for Test Method D 3203 is as follows:
X1.2.1 The equation for calculating air voids is:
Single-operator precision:
Percent air voids 5 100 ~1 2 ~bulk sp gr/theoretical maximum sp gr!!

The bulk specific gravity of Test Method D 1188 is divided

(X1.1)
s yx 5 Π~2.523!2~0.004!2 1 ~2.423! 2~0.004!2
~2.523!4
(X1.2)
by the theoretical maximum specific gravity of Test Method 5 0.0022
D 2041. Therefore, Eq 3 involving a quotient is the proper one
Multilaboratory precision:
to use in determining a precision statement for air voids.
X1.2.2 Test Method D 1188 has one of the older precision
statements which does not give the standard deviation but only
gives the D2S limit for multilaboratory precision. The testing
s xy 5 Π~2.523!2~0.0064!2 1 ~2.423! 2~0.0064!2
~2.523!4
(X1.3)
5 0.0035
operations in Test Methods D 1188 and D 2041 are very similar
so it is not surprising that the D2S limits for multilaboratory These standard deviations are in terms of specific gravity.
precision are almost identical being 0.02 for Test Method Since Test Method D 3203 is reported in percent they must be
D 1188 and 0.019 for Test Method D 2041. Therefore, the table multiplied by 100 to get the required percentages yielding the
for nonporous aggregate from Test Method D 2041 is used as following values:
the basis for both test methods as follows: Standard Range of
Deviation Two Results
Acceptable Range of
Standard Deviation Two Results Test and Type Index (1S %) (D2S %)
Single-operator precision 0.22 0.62
Test and type index (1S) (D2S) Multilaboratory precision 0.35 0.99
Single-operator precision 0.0040 0.011
Multilaboratory precision 0.0067 0.019
This is the complete precision statement for Test Method
During a testing program, the bulk specific gravity (Test D 3203 where nonporous aggregates are used.

2
 D 4460
REFERENCES

(1) Geary, R. C., “The Frequency Distribution of a Quotient,” Journal of (3) Ku, H. H., “Notes on the Use of Propagation of Error Formulas,”
the Royal Statistical Society, Vol 93, 1930, pp. 442–446. Journal of Research of the National Bureau of Standards, Vol 70C, No.
(2) Fieller, E. C., “The Distribution of the Index in a Normal Bivariate 4, 1966, pp. 331–341.
Population,” Biometrika, Vol 24, 1932, pp. 428–440

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