Printable · GCSE Higher · ages 14-16

Limits of accuracy and bounds worksheet — GCSE Higher

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 Higher

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

MathsUKwww.geekhero.co.uk

1.The radius of a circular pond is given as 3.2 m, correct to 1 decimal place. Calculate the upper bound for the area of the pond, giving your answer correct to 3 significant figures.
(a)33.2
(b)31.2
(c)32.2
(d)10.2
2.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
3.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
4.A rectangular garden has a length of 12.4 m and a width of 7.5 m, each measured correct to 1 decimal place. Calculate the upper bound for the area of the garden.
(a)93.375
(b)93.9975
(c)92.0075
(d)93
5.A rope is measured as 15 m, correct to the nearest metre. Write down the error interval for the true length, l, of the rope.
(a)14.5 < l < 15.5
(b)14.5 ≤ l < 15.5
(c)14 ≤ l < 16
(d)14.5 ≤ l ≤ 15.5
6.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
7.A lift has a safe working load of 500 kg. Four people get in the lift and the lift's display records their total mass as 493 kg, correct to the nearest kg. Decide whether the four people are definitely within the safe working load.
(a)No — 493 kg is only an estimate, so it may be over 500 kg
(b)Cannot be decided without the exact total
(c)Yes — the greatest possible total is 493.5 kg, under 500 kg
(d)No — the true total could be as high as 498 kg
8.A car travels 100 km, correct to the nearest km, in a time of 2 hours, correct to the nearest 0.1 hour. Work out the average speed, in km/h, to the greatest degree of accuracy the bounds can guarantee.
(a)49 km/h
(b)48.54 km/h
(c)52 km/h
(d)50 km/h
9.A plank has length a = 12 cm and a second plank has length b = 7 cm, each correct to the nearest centimetre. Work out the upper bound of a + b.
(a)19.5
(b)20
(c)18
(d)21
10.The density of a metal is calculated using density = mass ÷ volume. A sample has a mass of 156 g, correct to the nearest gram, and a volume of 12 cm³, correct to the nearest cm³. Work out the minimum possible density, in g/cm³.
(a)13
(b)13.52
(c)12.44
(d)12.52
11.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
12.A triangle has a base of 8 cm and a perpendicular height of 5 cm, each correct to the nearest centimetre. Work out the upper bound of the area.
(a)20.000
(b)46.750
(c)23.375
(d)16.875
13.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
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.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

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