Printable · GCSE Foundation · ages 14-16

Limits of accuracy and bounds worksheet — GCSE Foundation

Fifteen questions on "limits of accuracy and bounds" — DfE statement N16. Print it, or print three versions so neighbours cannot copy by letter; the key gives the letter for each version.

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Limits of accuracy and bounds worksheet — GCSE Foundation

Maths · GCSE Foundation · N16 · Limits of accuracy and bounds · 15 questions

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1.The number of pages in a book is 240, correct to the nearest 10 pages. Write down the error interval for the actual number of pages, n.
(a)235 ≤ n ≤ 245
(b)235 ≤ n < 245
(c)230 ≤ n < 250
(d)239.5 ≤ n < 240.5
2.In a science experiment, the temperature of a liquid is recorded as 18.6 °C, correct to the nearest 0.2 °C. Write down the error interval for the actual temperature, T °C.
(a)18.5 ≤ T ≤ 18.7
(b)18.5 ≤ T < 18.7
(c)18.4 ≤ T < 18.8
(d)18.6 ≤ T < 18.8
3.The number of visitors to a museum on Saturday is given as 1,800, correct to the nearest 100. Which of these could not be the actual number of visitors?
(a)1,850
(b)1,799
(c)1,760
(d)1,750
4.A garden path is measured by Jon as 12 m, correct to the nearest metre, and by Mia as 12.6 m, correct to the nearest 0.1 m. Which statement about the two measurements is correct?
(a)They cannot both be describing the same path
(b)Jon's measurement must be wrong
(c)Mia's measurement must be wrong
(d)They must both be describing the same path
5.The rainfall in a town during April is recorded as 62.4 mm, correct to 1 decimal place. Write down the error interval for the actual rainfall, r mm.
(a)62 ≤ r < 63
(b)62.35 ≤ r ≤ 62.45
(c)62.35 ≤ r < 62.45
(d)62.3 ≤ r < 62.5
6.A bag of flour is labelled 1.5 kg, correct to the nearest 0.1 kg. The true mass of the flour is m kg. Which inequality gives all the possible values of m?
(a)1.4 ≤ m < 1.6
(b)1.45 ≤ m < 1.55
(c)1.45 < m ≤ 1.55
(d)1.45 ≤ m ≤ 1.55
7.A courier's van has a weight limit of 850 kg for its parcels. The driver's display shows the total mass of the parcels loaded as 850 kg, correct to the nearest 5 kg. Decide whether the parcels are definitely within the weight limit.
(a)Yes, the true mass is at least 847.5 kg and at most 850 kg
(b)No, the true mass could be as high as 852.5 kg
(c)Yes, the display reads 850 kg, which is not above the limit
(d)No, 850 kg on the display rounds up to 855 kg
8.A machine fills bags of sugar and shows the mass of each bag to the nearest 10 g. A checker rejects any bag whose actual mass is less than 996 g. One bag shows a mass of 1,000 g on the machine. Decide whether this bag could be rejected, and give a reason for your answer.
(a)No — the actual mass is exactly 1,000 g
(b)Yes — the actual mass could be as low as 995 g
(c)Yes — the actual mass could be as low as 990 g
(d)No — the actual mass is at least 999.5 g
9.Ava measures a metal rod and records its length as 15 cm, correct to the nearest centimetre. Ben measures the same rod and records its length as 14.8 cm, correct to the nearest 0.1 cm. Decide whether both records can be correct, and give a reason for your answer.
(a)No, because 14.8 cm is not the same length as 15 cm
(b)Yes, because 14.8 cm rounds to 15 cm to the nearest cm
(c)No, because 14.8 cm rounds to 14 cm to the nearest cm
(d)Yes, because 14.8 cm rounds to 15.0 cm to 1 decimal place
10.The error interval for the mass of a suitcase, m kg, is given as 22.5 ≤ m < 23.5. Write down the mass of the suitcase, correct to the nearest whole number.
(a)22.5 kg
(b)23 kg
(c)22 kg
(d)23.5 kg
11.The mass of a parcel is 3 kg, correct to the nearest kilogram. Which of these masses is not possible for the parcel?
(a)3.49 kg
(b)2.50 kg
(c)3.50 kg
(d)2.90 kg
12.Postage on a parcel is calculated as £4.60, correct to the nearest 20p. Which of these could not be the actual cost of the postage?
(a)£4.55
(b)£4.50
(c)£4.65
(d)£4.80
13.The attendance at a football match is 23,000, correct to the nearest thousand. Which of these attendances is not possible for the match?
(a)23,499
(b)22,500
(c)23,000
(d)23,600
14.In a school long jump competition Priya's jump is recorded as 3.8 m and Nadia's jump is recorded as 3.9 m, each correct to the nearest 0.1 m. Priya says she may have jumped further than Nadia. Decide whether Priya is right, and give a reason for your answer.
(a)Yes — Priya's jump could have been up to 3.9 m
(b)No — their possible jump lengths do not overlap
(c)Yes — both jumps could have been 3.85 m
(d)No — a recorded jump is exactly the length jumped
15.A shelf is 60 cm long, correct to the nearest 10 cm. Write down the upper bound for the length of the shelf, in centimetres.
(a)60 cm
(b)70 cm
(c)65 cm
(d)55 cm

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