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8/19 Marks
A length is measured as 21 cm correct to 2 significant figures.
a) What is the lower bound for the length?
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b) What is the upper bound for the length?

1 Answer

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Answer:

  • lower: 20.5 cm
  • upper: 21.5 cm

Explanation:

You want the lower and upper bounds for the length if it is reported as 21 cm correct to 2 significant figures.

Bounds

A value rounded to the nearest centimeter is within 1/2 cm of the reported value. That is, for some length x, it will be reported as 21 cm when ...

|x -21| < 0.5 . . . . . . centimeters

-0.5 < x -21 < 0.5 . . . . . unfold the absolute value

20.5 < x < 21.5 . . . . . . . add 21

(a) Lower bound

The lower bound for the length will be 20.5 cm. A value equal to 20.5 cm will be rounded to 21 cm.

(b) Upper bound

A value equal to 21.5 cm will be rounded to 22 cm. 21.5 cm is the upper bound of values that will be rounded to 21 cm.

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