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iGCSE (2021 Edition)

12.22 Identifying error in measurement

Worksheet
Absolute error
1

State the absolute error of the following:

a

A measurement of 30 \text{ kg}, which was measured to the nearest kilogram.

b

A measurement of 400 \text{ g}, which was measured to the nearest gram.

c

The amount \$700, which was calculated to the nearest \$10.

2

A chef measures the amount of olive oil to be used in a cup marked in millilitres. Find the absolute error of any measurement she makes.

3

State the absolute error of each of the following measurements obtained from measuring devices:

a

18.9 \text{ mL}

b

269 \text{ mm}

c

9.9 \text{ g}

d

18 \text{ s}

e

15.12 \text{ kg}

f

17.8 \text{ m}

g

117.38\degree \text{C}

4

The number of people at a concert is approximately 5050. Explain why we cannot find the absolute error of this approximation.

The limits of accuracy
5

Consider the tape measure below:

a

What is the smallest unit marked on the tape?

b

What should be recorded for measurement P?

c

What is the absolute error of measurement P?

d

State whether the following could be the actual measurement of P:

i

89.02 \text{ cm}

ii

90.64 \text{ cm}

iii

89 \text{ cm}

iv

90.03 \text{ cm}

6

Consider the following scale:

a

What is the smallest unit labelled on the scale?

b

What is the absolute error?

c

If a certain object is measured at 70 \text{ kg}, what are the lower and upper bounds of this measurement?

7

Consider the speedometer below:

a

At what speed is being indicated on the speedometer?

b

What is the absolute error of this speed reading?

c

What would the maximum speed limit need to be to ensure the driver is not speeding?

8

For the following measurements, find:

i

The upper bound

ii

The lower bound

a

A distance measured to be 13.45 \text{ km}.

b

A distance measured to be 6.4 \text{ km}.

c

A height measured to be 5 \text{ m}.

d

A bag of sugar weighs 14 \text{ kg} to the nearest 10 grams.

e

Puncak Jaya, Indonesia’s highest mountain, is 4884 \text{ m} high rounded to the nearest metre.

f

The cost of a CD lie if it is known to be \$50 correct to the nearest \$5.

9

The length of a piece of rope is measured to be 19.99 \text{ m} using a ruler. What is the upper bound of the largest possible length of this rope?

10

The height of a tower is measured as 2.1 \text{ m}. What is the shortest possible height of the tower?

11

State the maximum and minimum possible number of the following:

a

A town's population is estimated to be 170 people, to the nearest 10 people.

b

A stack of paper is estimated to have 3000 sheets to the nearest 100 sheets.

Further calculations (Extended)
12

c = 4 and d = 8 have both been rounded to the nearest whole number.

a

Calculate the lower bound of the value of c \times d.

b

Calculate the upper bound of the value of \dfrac{c}{d}.

13

A school field has a 100 \text{ m} track that is measured to the nearest metre. The record for the fastest 100 \text{ m} sprint is 13.9 seconds rounded to the nearest 0.1 seconds.

a

What is the fastest speed, in metres per second, the record holder could have run? Round your answer correct to two decimal places.

b

What is the slowest speed, in metres per second, the record holder could have run? Round your answer correct to two decimal places.

14

A circle has a radius of 7 \text{ cm}, correct to the nearest centimetre.

a

Calculate its area correct to one decimal place.

b

What are the smallest and largest possible areas? Round your answer to one decimal place.

c

What is the maximum possible absolute error in the calculation?

d

What is the maximum possible percentage error in the calculation? Round your answer to one decimal place.

15

A field has dimensions 15.4 \text{ m } \times 17.6\text{ m}, to the nearest 10 \text{ cm}.

a

What are the upper and lower bounds of the area of the field?

b

What is the upper and lower bounds of the perimeter of the field?

16

A cube has a side length of 10 \text{ cm} rounded to the nearest centimetre.

a

Find the lower and upper bounds of the side length.

b

Find the area of one face of the cube, using the given side length.

c

Find the lower and upper bounds of the area of one face.

d

Find the volume of the cube using the given side length.

e

Find the lower and upper bounds of the volume of the cube.

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Outcomes

0580C1.10

Give appropriate upper and lower bounds for data given to a specified accuracy.

0580E1.10

Give appropriate upper and lower bounds for data given to a specified accuracy. Obtain appropriate upper and lower bounds to solutions of simple problems given data to a specified accuracy.

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