plus or minus

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "plus or minus" is correct and can be used in written English.
It is typically used in mathematical or scientific contexts to indicate a range or degree of uncertainty. Example: The calculated value for the acceleration due to gravity is 9.8 meters per second squared, plus or minus 0.2 meters per second squared.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Independents: Plus or minus 9 points.

Yale University

The Business Downstairs: Plus or Minus?

The New York Times

For Democratic voters, it is plus or minus six points.

The New York Times

For Catholics it is plus or minus five points.

The New York Times

And Vivendi is plus or minus an inch or more.

The New Yorker

The sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.

The New York Times

The margin of error is plus or minus 2.7percentt.

The Washington Post

Our tolerance is plus or minus a foot.

MIT Technology Review

The error margin is plus or minus 2.5 points.

The Washington Post

It has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points for the entire poll and plus or minus four percentage points for Hispanics.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

1 human-written examples

Plus-or-minus (range of my error) -- 4 seats.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When reporting statistical data, use "plus or minus" to clearly indicate the margin of error or range of uncertainty.

Common error

Avoid using "plus or minus" when you intend to convey an exact value. This phrase indicates a range, not a specific number.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "plus or minus" functions as a modifier indicating a range or margin of error. It's commonly used to specify the degree of uncertainty associated with a value, as confirmed by Ludwig AI.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

36%

Academia

26%

Science

24%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Wiki

4%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "plus or minus" is a versatile expression used to denote a range or margin of error around a central value. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and widespread usage across various domains, including news, academia, and science. Its frequency indicates it is a common and accepted way to communicate uncertainty in data or measurements. Related phrases like "approximately" or "give or take" can serve as alternatives, but "plus or minus" is particularly suited when specifying a quantifiable range. As such, it is essential to avoid using "plus or minus" when intending to convey an exact value instead of a range.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

give or take

This alternative implies a slight imprecision or approximation, similar to "plus or minus".

approximately

This term indicates an estimation or nearness to a certain value.

in the neighborhood of

This phrase suggests a value is close to a given number, offering a sense of proximity.

roughly

This indicates a lack of precision but remains close to a specific value.

about

This implies an estimate that is not exact but sufficiently close.

more or less

Expresses a degree of approximation or similarity rather than exactness.

proximate to

A more formal way of saying something is near or close to a particular value.

in the vicinity of

Suggests a location or value is close but not precisely at a specific point.

close to

Indicates a small difference from a given number or position.

give or take a few

Emphasizes the inexactness and allows for a small margin of error.

FAQs

How is "plus or minus" used in a sentence?

The phrase "plus or minus" is used to indicate a range around a central value, such as in measurements or statistics. For example, "The temperature is 25 degrees Celsius, plus or minus 2 degrees."

What does "plus or minus" mean in scientific contexts?

In science, "plus or minus" typically signifies the margin of error or standard deviation associated with a measurement, indicating the reliability of the result.

What are some alternatives to using "plus or minus"?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "approximately", "about", or "give or take" to express a similar meaning.

When should I use "plus or minus" instead of a simple estimate?

Use "plus or minus" when you want to provide a specific range of possible values, often based on measured or calculated uncertainty, rather than a vague estimation.