ɪɾ ɪz pˈɑːsᵻbəl, fɔːɹ ɛɡzˈæmpəl, tʊ ˈækjʊɹətli mˈɛʒɚ ðə lˈɛŋθ əvə stɹˈeɪt, aɪdˈiəlaɪzd mˈɛɾəl bˈɑːɹ baɪ jˈuːzɪŋ ɐ mˈɛʒɚmənt dɪvˈaɪs tə dɪtˈɜːmɪn ðætðə lˈɛŋθ ɪz lˈɛs ðˌænə sˈɜːʔn̩ ɐmˈaʊnt ænd ɡɹˈeɪɾɚ ðɐn ɐnˈʌðɚɹ ɐmˈaʊnt—ðæt ˈɪz, tə mˈɛʒɚɹ ɪt wɪðˌɪn ɐ sˈɜːʔn̩ dᵻɡɹˈiː ʌv ʌnsˈɜːtənti.
It is possible, for example, to accurately measure the length of a straight, idealized metal bar by using a measurement device to determine that the length is less than a certain amount and greater than another amount—that is, to measure it within a certain degree of uncertainty.