fudge factor

A variable factor or component used in calculations or experiments that allows for a margin of error or produces a desired result.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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Noun

fudge factor - a quantity that is added or subtracted in order to increase the accuracy of a scientific measure

correction

indefinite quantity - an estimated quantity

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References in periodicals archive

That's why most active shooters reload, building ammo that comfortably makes Power Factor (you want a fudge factor to account for temperature differences and chronograph variations) but no more.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

It forces one to put a fudge factor into the equations that calculate residence time.

A Practical Approach to Calculating Residence Time

This balancing act is the process of rationalization, and it is the basis for what we'll call the 'fudge factor theory.'" (3) Thus, everyone cheats, but only to the point that they can still feel good about themselves.

The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone, Especially Ourselves

Introducing a 'Fudge Factor' The China Foreign Exchange Trade System, which is controlled by the central bank, said it might change the way it sets a value each morning around which the country's currency is allowed to fluctuate through the day.

China moves to stabilise currency, retreating from effort to ease control

With a fudge factor of 10 trillion to 20 trillion bacteria, the number of microbes may pretty well match the number of human cells in the body, which also varies somewhat.

Human body not overrun by bacteria: new calculation suggests people's cell counts are about 50-50

He labels the extent to which we can cheat and maintain our honest identity as a "personal fudge factor." Here he asks another simple question: How do we shrink the fudge factor?

The (Honest) Truth about Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone --Especially Ourselves by Dan Ariely

--"Climate modeling's fudge factor comes under fire, " by R.A Kerr in Science, September 9, 1994

Scientists debunk climate models

We now know the universe is expanding and Einstein's fudge factor was mistaken.

Fear of failure shouldn't stop creativity

The researchers included in their analysis a fudge factor for the mass of each planet's upper atmosphere, which can vary because--just as on Earth--regions of high and low pressure, and thus density, are in constant motion.

Uranus & Neptune have thin weather layers

The wise pilot, familiar with things like low tire pressures and refreshingly honest about his or her skill with max-performance takeoffs, will add a fudge factor when calculating the airplane's runway and climb performance.

Humidity vs. horsepower: humid air reduces horsepower in high density-altitude situations, but you can increase your pressure altitude assumption, then compute DA, to compensate

Based on a comparison of 2010 frozen food sales as reported by IRI and Nielsen (which counts Walmart), the fudge factor for the megachain was 1.35 for that year in dollar terms.

US frozen foods sluggish at best; modest gains for Canada, Mexico: Walmart remains the elephant in the living room, gaining at the expense of conventional supermarkets. Dinners and entrees top category in United States, but breakfast foods are the fastest gainer. Pizza stalls, at least at supermarkets