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Upper and Lower Bounds

Determine the upper and lower bounds when rounding quantities used in calculations.

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This is level 2: quantities rounded to the nearest multiple. You can earn a trophy if you get at least 7 questions correct.

1. The length of a pencil, p millimetres, is rounded to the nearest ten millimetres. The length is given as 160mm. What are the limits of accuracy?

Pencil
mm ≤ p < mm Correct Wrong
2. A set of kitchen scales displays readings to the nearest ten grams. Find the upper and lower bounds in grams for a weight, w, displayed as 220g.

Scales

220g

g ≤ w < g Correct Wrong
3. A digital thermometer measures temperatures (T) to the nearest two degrees. Find the range of possible temperatures if the display shows 76o.

76o

oT < o Correct Wrong
4. A number, D, is rounded to the nearest ten. The result is 430. What are the limits of accuracy? ≤ D < Correct Wrong
5. The weight of a box of bolts (w) is rounded to the nearest 50g. If the weight of the box is given as 2800g What are the limits of accuracy. g ≤ w < g Correct Wrong
6. A number, F, is rounded to the nearest fifty. The result is 3450. What are the limits of accuracy? ≤ F < Correct Wrong
7. The length of a fibre-optic cable (L) is rounded to the nearest fifty metres. If the length is given as 3750m find the range of values within which the actual length of the cable could be. m ≤ L < m Correct Wrong
8. A number, H, is rounded to the nearest twenty. The result is 1640. What are the limits of accuracy? ≤ H < Correct Wrong
9. A plumbing supplier sells pipes cut to size. The length (L millimetres) of the cut pipe is rounded to the nearest twenty millimetres in order to calculate the cost. If the length of a particular piece of pipe is given as 1860 find the range of values within which the actual length could be. mm ≤ L < mm Correct Wrong
10. A number, J, is rounded to the nearest one hundred. The result is 10500. What are the limits of accuracy? ≤ J < Correct Wrong
Check

This is Upper and Lower Bounds level 2. You can also try:
Level 1 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Level 6

Instructions

Try your best to answer the questions above. Type your answers into the boxes provided leaving no spaces. As you work through the exercise regularly click the "check" button. If you have any wrong answers, do your best to do corrections but if there is anything you don't understand, please ask your teacher for help.

When you have got all of the questions correct you may want to print out this page and paste it into your exercise book. If you keep your work in an ePortfolio you could take a screen shot of your answers and paste that into your Maths file.

Why am I learning this?

Mathematicians are not the people who find Maths easy; they are the people who enjoy how mystifying, puzzling and hard it is. Are you a mathematician?

Comment recorded on the 10 April 'Starter of the Day' page by Mike Sendrove, Salt Grammar School, UK.:

"A really useful set of resources - thanks. Is the collection available on CD? Are solutions available?"

Comment recorded on the 14 September 'Starter of the Day' page by Trish Bailey, Kingstone School:

"This is a great memory aid which could be used for formulae or key facts etc - in any subject area. The PICTURE is such an aid to remembering where each number or group of numbers is - my pupils love it!
Thanks"

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Featured Activity

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A brilliant game involving chance and choice requiring an ability to calculate the remainder when a two digit number is divided by a single digit number. There are one and two player versions and the rules are inspired by the Royal Game of Ur.

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Description of Levels

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Level 1 - Numbers truncated or rounded up or down to a given multiple.

Level 2 - Quantities rounded to the nearest multiple.

Level 3 - Numbers rounded to a number of decimal places.

Level 4 - Discrete and continuous quantities rounded to a number of significant figures.

Level 5 - Mixed calculations involving upper and lower bounds.

Level 6 - Upper and lower bounds of algebraic expressions.

Exam Style questions are in the style of GCSE or IB/A-level exam paper questions and worked solutions are available for Transum subscribers.

Answers to this exercise are available lower down this page when you are logged in to your Transum account. If you don’t yet have a Transum subscription one can be very quickly set up if you are a teacher, tutor or parent.

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Extension

Students who are also studying Physics may want to investigate a topic called Propagation of Uncertainties that uses these formulas.

$$ \text{If} \quad y= a \pm b \quad \text{then} \quad \Delta y = \Delta a + \Delta b $$ $$ \text{If} \quad y= \frac{ab}{c} \quad \text{then} \quad \frac{\Delta y}{y} = \frac{\Delta a}{a} + \frac{\Delta b}{b} + \frac{\Delta c}{c} $$ $$ \text{If} \quad y= a^n \quad \text{then} \quad \frac{\Delta y}{y} = \begin{vmatrix} n \frac{\Delta a}{a} \end{vmatrix} $$

The triangular symbols are the Greek letter delta and represent the errors or, more accurately, uncertainties.

Help Video

Don't wait until you have finished the exercise before you click on the 'Check' button. Click it often as you work through the questions to see if you are answering them correctly.

Answers to this exercise are available lower down this page when you are logged in to your Transum account. If you don’t yet have a Transum subscription one can be very quickly set up if you are a teacher, tutor or parent.

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