Final answer:
A quality control chemist evaluates three dispensers for accuracy and precision in dispensing cough syrup. Dispenser #1 is precise but not accurate, #2 is accurate but not precise, and #3 is both accurate and precise.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question relates to a scenario where a quality control chemist at a pharmaceutical company is assessing the performance of three machines that dispense cough syrup. The objective is to determine the accuracy and precision of these machines to ensure that they dispense the correct amount of 10 ounces (296 mL) into each bottle.
Through the process of filling five bottles with each machine and recording the dispensed quantity, the chemist finds that dispenser #1 is precise, as the dispensed volumes are close to each other, but it lacks accuracy since the volumes are consistently below the intended 296 mL. Dispenser #2 demonstrates better accuracy, with dispensed volumes staying within 3 mL of the target value, but its precision is lacking due to a variation of more than 4 mL between results. Ultimately, dispenser #3 shows both high accuracy and precision, with dispensed volumes deviating by no more than 0.1 mL from the target, and individual volumes within 0.2 mL of each other.