Question

1. Should Clare's or the doctor's measurement be considered the actual height? Explain

your reasoning.
2. What was the error, expressed in inches?
3. What was the error, expressed as a percentage of the actual height?

Answer 1

1. The actual height is the measured height. Therefore the doctor's measurement should be considered the actual height as the doctor measured the height of Clare's brother.

2. The error is the difference between the estimated height and the measured height:

⇒ 4 ft 2 in - 4 ft = 2 inches

3. First convert 4 ft 2 in into inches.

Given 1 ft = 12 inches

Therefore, 4 ft 2 in = 4 x 12 + 2 = 50 inches

`\mathsf{percentage\ error=(difference\ between\ actual\ and\ estimated\ value)/(actual\ value)*100\%}`

`\implies \mathsf{percentage\ error=(2)/(50)*100\%=4\%}`

So the error expressed as a percentage was 4% of the actual height.