Printable · GCSE Foundation · ages 14-16

Rounding, significant figures and error intervals worksheet — GCSE Foundation

Fifteen questions on "rounding, significant figures and error intervals" — DfE statement N15. Print it, or print three versions so neighbours cannot copy by letter; the key gives the letter for each version.

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Rounding, significant figures and error intervals worksheet — GCSE Foundation

Maths · GCSE Foundation · N15 · Rounding, significant figures and error intervals · 15 questions

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1.The length of a nail is 12 cm, correct to the nearest centimetre. Using L for the length of the nail in centimetres, write down the error interval for L.
(a)11.5 ≤ L < 12.5
(b)11.5 < L < 12.5
(c)11 ≤ L < 13
(d)11.5 ≤ L ≤ 12.5
2.A number, x, is truncated (not rounded) to 1 decimal place and the result is 6.2. Write down the error interval for x.
(a)6.1 < x ≤ 6.2
(b)6.2 ≤ x < 6.3
(c)6.2 ≤ x ≤ 6.3
(d)6.15 ≤ x < 6.25
3.A train journey takes 45 minutes, correct to the nearest 5 minutes. Using t for the actual time of the journey in minutes, write down the error interval for t.
(a)42.5 ≤ t < 47.5
(b)40 ≤ t < 50
(c)42.5 ≤ t ≤ 47.5
(d)44.5 ≤ t < 45.5
4.The thickness of a sheet of card is 0.02384 cm. Write this thickness correct to 2 significant figures.
(a)0.02 cm
(b)0.023 cm
(c)0.0238 cm
(d)0.024 cm
5.To estimate the cost of buying 38.7 m of rope at £21.40 per metre, both numbers are first rounded to 1 significant figure. Work out the estimate.
(a)£819
(b)£840
(c)£60
(d)£800
6.A charity trek covers 830 miles over roughly 19 days. By rounding each number to 1 significant figure, work out an estimate for the number of miles walked per day.
(a)4 miles
(b)830 miles
(c)41.5 miles
(d)40 miles
7.A van has a mass of 2,000 kg, correct to 1 significant figure. Using m for the mass of the van in kilograms, write down the error interval for m.
(a)1,500 ≤ m < 2,500
(b)1,000 ≤ m < 3,000
(c)1,950 ≤ m < 2,050
(d)1,500 < m ≤ 2,500
8.Round 0.0759 to 2 decimal places.
(a)0.08
(b)0.07
(c)0.076
(d)0.1
9.A digital timer truncates every time to 1 decimal place. It shows a swimmer's time for one length as 12.3 seconds. Using t for the swimmer's actual time in seconds, write down the error interval for t.
(a)12.25 ≤ t < 12.35
(b)12.3 < t ≤ 12.4
(c)12.3 ≤ t < 12.4
(d)12.3 ≤ t ≤ 12.4
10.Round 6.283 to 1 significant figure.
(a)10
(b)6.3
(c)6
(d)0.6
11.Round 592.5 to the nearest 10.
(a)600
(b)500
(c)590
(d)595
12.Round 24,681 to the nearest 1,000.
(a)24,700
(b)24,000
(c)20,000
(d)25,000
13.Round 3.947 to 2 decimal places.
(a)4.0
(b)3.94
(c)3.95
(d)3.9
14.A quantity surveyor calculates a length as 24.6851 m. Round this length to 2 decimal places.
(a)24.7
(b)24.685
(c)24.68
(d)24.69
15.A recipe needs 0.485 kg of flour per cake. A bakery estimates its flour order by rounding this amount to 1 significant figure, then multiplying by the 60 cakes it plans to bake. Work out the bakery's estimate for the total flour needed, in kg.
(a)29.4 kg
(b)24 kg
(c)29.1 kg
(d)30 kg

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