Final Answer:
Rounding the cost of the tennis racquet, purchased for £78.79, to the nearest hundred pounds yields the next whole hundred, as the last two digits are 79, which is greater than 50. Rounding up results in the cost being £100. The cost of the tennis racquet to the nearest hundred pounds is £100.
Step-by-step explanation:
Ben bought the tennis racquet for £78.79 in the sale. To find the cost to the nearest hundred pounds, we need to determine whether the last two digits in the cost are 50 or greater. In this case, the last two digits are 79, which is greater than 50. Therefore, we round up to the nearest hundred pounds, making the cost £100.
In mathematical terms, rounding involves determining the value of the digit in the hundredth place. In this instance, the digit in the hundredth place is 7. Since it is greater than or equal to 5, we round up to the next hundred. The final cost, when rounded to the nearest hundred pounds, is £100.
Rounding to the nearest hundred is a practical method to simplify numbers for estimation purposes. It is particularly useful in financial transactions, where exact values may not be as significant as a general idea of the cost. In Ben's case, this means that the tennis racquet, when rounded to the nearest hundred pounds, costs £100.