1. A method of evaluating a reliability of using ambiguous input geographic data to generate a geocoded output address match, the method comprising: selecting a first plurality of n different types of locate tests to be used to convert the ambiguous input geographic data into the output address match; retrieving a known certainty value (1−u) associated with each test in the selected first plurality of n different types of locate tests; defining a weighting constant (w) for each test in said selected first plurality of n different types of locate tests, the weighting constant within the range of 0.0 to 1.0; and generating a characteristic vector defining the reliability of the output address match with respect to the ambiguous input geographic data, the characteristic vector defined as the sum of each known certainty value multiplied by its associated weighting constant for the first plurality of n different types of locate tests.