A digital device records information as a series of numbers. These numbers are then translated to represent another entity. Digital instruments do not have as much precision as their analog counterpoints, but they tend to be much more accurate. If Joyce looks at a digital thermometer next to an analog thermometer, she will readily see the difference. A digital thermometer would have a readout that says in numbers what the temperature is. If the display says 74.3 degrees, it does not matter how closely she looks at the thermometer, she will not get a closer approximation of the temperature. A digital device offers discrete values. There are no intermediate values on a digital instrument, although the values given may be very close together. The digital thermometer is more likely to be accurate, because the instrumentation is unlikely to change by changes in the physical environment (except of course temperature, but that's the point of a thermometer!)