False positives and false negatives facts for kids

False positives and negatives are to do with practical testing. When performing a practical test, there is the possibility that the result of the test does not show the real situation.

In a test, a false positive is when a test result shows that a condition is present – but it is not. A false negative is when a test result shows a condition is not present when in fact it is present.

Related pages

• Type I and type II errors describe the same condition when it occurs in a statistical test

See also

In Spanish: Falso positivo y falso negativo para niños