error propagation
nounUK /ˈerə ˌprɒpəˈɡeɪʃən/
US /ˈerər ˌprɑːpəˈɡeɪʃən/
When a mistake in one step makes later steps wrong too.
A tiny rounding mistake in the first calculation caused error propagation through the whole experiment.
OTHER MEANINGS
2. In computing, the way a fault in one part of a program can cause failures in other parts.
The crash showed error propagation from the database layer to the user interface.
3. In science, how small measurement errors grow as they pass through a formula.
Students learned error propagation to estimate the uncertainty in their final result.
4. In learning, when a wrong belief makes later learning harder.
Misunderstanding fractions early leads to error propagation in algebra.