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 supermarket sells apples at £1.85 per kg. Anna buys 3.6 kg of apples. Estimate the cost by rounding each number to 1 significant figure before multiplying. Work out Anna's estimate.
(a)£6.66
(b)£8
(c)£7.60
(d)£7.40
3.The length of a pencil is 8.4 cm, correct to 1 decimal place. Using L for the length of the pencil in centimetres, write down the error interval for L.
(a)8.35 ≤ L < 8.45
(b)8.4 ≤ L < 8.5
(c)8.3 ≤ L < 8.5
(d)8.35 < L ≤ 8.45
4.A length, L cm, has the error interval 24.5 ≤ L < 25.5. Write down the degree of accuracy to which the length was measured.
(a)to the nearest centimetre
(b)to 1 decimal place
(c)to the nearest 0.5 cm
(d)to the nearest 10 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.Round 0.006852 to 2 significant figures.
(a)0.0069
(b)0.0068
(c)0.007
(d)0.00685
7.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
8.A measuring jug shows a volume of 340 ml, correct to the nearest 20 ml. Work out the smallest possible volume in the jug.
(a)330 ml
(b)320 ml
(c)335 ml
(d)350 ml
9.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
10.Round 592.5 to the nearest 10.
(a)600
(b)500
(c)590
(d)595
11.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
12.A tin of paint has a mass of 5.672 kg. Round this mass to 1 decimal place.
(a)5.0 kg
(b)5.6 kg
(c)5.7 kg
(d)6.0 kg
13.A number, n, is equal to 3.7 when rounded to 1 decimal place. Write down the error interval for n.
(a)3.6 ≤ n < 3.8
(b)3.65 ≤ n < 3.75
(c)3.65 < n < 3.75
(d)3.65 ≤ n ≤ 3.75
14.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
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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