Final answer:
To find the upper bound for the two bags of oats, add 0.05 kg to each bag (half of the smallest increment) and then add their masses. The upper bound for the total mass is 20.3 kg.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asked what the upper bound of the total mass of two bags of oats is, when the first bag has a mass of 7.5 kg and the second bag has a mass of 12.7 kg. To find the upper bound, we must consider the precision of the measurement. Since the masses are given to one decimal place, the smallest increment in this measurement is 0.1 kg. Thus, the upper bound for the first bag is 7.55 kg (adding half of the smallest increment, 0.05 kg), and for the second bag, it is 12.75 kg. To calculate the upper bound of their total mass, we add these two amounts together.
The upper bound for the total mass of the two bags is 7.55 kg + 12.75 kg = 20.3 kg.