Crescent Girls School Mathematics Department

UPPER AND LOWER BOUND Qn 4 from 2012 Sec 3 E Math Nov Hol HW Fred used a ruler to measure the length and width of a rectangular postcard and they are 8 cm and 5 cm respectively, correct to the nearest cm. Calculate (a) the smallest possible perimeter, (b) the largest possible area. Answer: (a) 24 cm (b) 46.75 cm2

GCE 2011 P1, Q 12 A glass block has a mass of 43 grams, correct to the nearest gram. (a) Find the least possible mass of the glass block. (b) The volume of the glass block is 15 cm3, correct to the nearest cubic centimeter. Find the greatest possible mass of 1 cubic centimeter of the glass. Cambridge Examiners Report: A fully correct solution to this question was extremely rare. (a) The correct answer was given by a significant number, but an answer of 40 was not uncommon. (b) Very few candidates appreciated the need to divide the greatest mass by the least volume and indeed the majority of candidates did not realize that this part of the question had any connection with part (a) and upper and lower bounds, and simply calculated who did see some connection, most used the bound of the numerator only i.e. Those who did see the need to work with the denominator as well often used the correct . Weaker candidates often started the question by calculating (b) 3 g . Of those or .

rather than

Answers: (a) 42.5 g;

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Crescent Girls School Mathematics Department

ABSOLUTE ERROR Worked Example Measured to the nearest 0.1 cm, the lengths of the sides of a rectangular carpet are 7.5 cm and 3.4 cm. Find the greatest and least possible values of the area of the rectangular carpet and the largest possible error in the area. Solution The largest possible absolute error = = ___________ cm

7.5 cm lies between _________________ cm. And 3.4 cm lies between __________________ cm. The greatest area = _________ ______________ = _____________ cm2 The smallest area = ___________ ____________ = _______________ cm2 The largest possible error in the area = ______________ = ___________ cm2 Solution The largest possible absolute error = 7.5 cm lies between 7.5 = 0.05 cm 0.05 cm.
Present in this manner!

0.05 cm. And 3.4 cm lies between 3.4

The greatest area = 7.55 3.45 = 26.0475 cm2 The smallest area = 7.45 3.35 = 24.9575 cm2 The largest possible error in the area = 26.0475 24.9575 = 1.09 cm2

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