Final answer:
Student #1 accurately reported the room's area as 96.75 m² by using correct multiplication of the given dimensions. Student #2's reported area of 97 m² is a rounded figure and less precise.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine which student accurately reported the room's area, we need to calculate the area using the length and width provided by Student #1, and compare it to the area reported by Student #2. The area of a rectangle is calculated by multiplying the length by the width. According to Student #1, the length is 12.9 meters and the width is 7.5 meters.
Area calculation:
Area = Length × Width
Area = 12.9 m × 7.5 m
Area = 96.75 m²
The calculated area matches the result reported by Student #1. Therefore, Student #1 accurately reported the room's area as 96.75 m², while Student #2's report of 97 m² is slightly higher and rounded up. When working with measurements, especially in mathematics and science, it is important to report values with the correct number of significant figures to ensure precision and accuracy.