Upper and Lower Bounds Worksheet

Foundations (locked in the basement) – Start here if you want to focus on building this skill up

1) State the upper and lower bounds of the following: e.g. 3.1 (1dp) LB=3.05 UB=3.15

a) 50 (to the nearest 10) b) 900 (to the nearest hundred) c) 5 (nearest whole numb

d) 1.5 (1 dp) e) 4.3 (1 dp) f) 7.18 (2 dp)

Ground level – Start here if you think you’ve got a basic grasp of the topic already

2) State the upper and lower bounds of the following: e.g. 0.22(2dp) LB=0.215 UB=0.225

a) 9.5 (1 dp) b) 12.4 (1 dp) c) 0.32 (2 dp) d) 0.91 (2dp)

e) 15.85 (2dp) f) 48.92 (2dp) g) 20.01 (2dp) h) 79.99 (2dp)

Escalator – Start here if you’re looking to push your understanding further

3) Express the upper and lower bounds as inequalities of the following:

e.g: 5.2 (1dp) 5.15 ≤ x < 5.25

a) 30 (nearest 10) b) 5.6 (1dp) c) 7.65 (2dp) d) 8.92 (2dp) e) 7.99 (2dp)

f) 50.11 (2dp) g) 2.432 (3dp) h) 3.141 (3dp)

Challenge Zone (top floor!) – Best not to START here, but grab a challenge if you’re
confident later on

4) Can you work backwards and suggest the values described as ‘x’, and state what they
have been rounded to:

e.g. 0.75 ≤ x < 0.85 would represent x=0.8 (1dp)

a) 15 ≤ x < 25 b) 2.45 ≤ x < 2.55 c) 0.05 ≤ x < 0.15 d) 3.1405 ≤ x < 3.1415
 ANSWERS - TBC

1)

Question LB UB Question LB UB
a) 45 55 b) 850 950
c) 4.5 5.5 d) 1.45 1.55
e) 4.25 4.35 f) 7.175 7.185

2)

Question LB UB Question LB UB
a) 9.45 9.55 b) 12.35 12.45
c) 0.315 0.325 d) 0.905 0.915
e) 15.845 15.855 f) 48.915 48.925
e) 20.005 20.015 e) 79.985 79.995

3)

a) 25 ≤ x < 35 b) 5.55 ≤ x < 5.65 c) 7.645 ≤ x < 7.655 d) 8.915 ≤ x < 8.925

e) 7.985 ≤ x < 7.995 f) 50.105 ≤ x < 5.115 g) 2.4315 ≤ x < 2.4325

h) 3.1405 ≤ x < 3.1415

4) a) 20 (nearest 10) b) 2.5 (1dp or 3sf) c) 0.1 (1 dp or 1sf)

d) 3.141 (3dp or 4sf)