... Let us first find out which way -- rise in spectral resolution with some loss in the S/N ratio or increase in the S/N ratio with a fixed spectral resolution -- is better for the purpose of reduction of equivalent width determination errors. ... N -- number of counts for 1 ? ... line equivalent width, . ... Thus if the spectral resolution is managed to be increased (i.e. to decrease )without loss in the number of counts falling at 1 ?, the equivalent width measurement error is then proportional to . ...