When sequence is maintained in fingerprint comparison, the weight placed on each area of comparison is deemed to be?

When the sequence is maintained in fingerprint comparison, the weight placed on each area of comparison is deemed to be accumulative. This means that as an examiner evaluates different features of a fingerprint, each point of comparison contributes to the overall assessment of the match.

The cumulative approach acknowledges that multiple characteristics—such as ridge patterns, minutiae points, and overall image quality—can collectively strengthen the conclusion about whether two prints originated from the same source. In this manner, as examiners analyze and validate features sequentially, the impact of each element builds on the last, leading to a more robust determination of similarity or difference between the prints.

The concept of accumulative comparison is crucial since it allows for a more nuanced analysis, considering that the cumulative weight of several matching features can enhance confidence in the conclusion reached by the examiner.