Printable · GCSE Higher · ages 14-16

Rounding, significant figures and error intervals worksheet — GCSE Higher

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.

VersionsA only A + B A + B + Csame questions, different order

AnswersQuestions only With answer key Key only

CalculatorMixed Non-calculator (Paper 1)Calculator (Papers 2 and 3)

New sheet

Rounding, significant figures and error intervals worksheet — GCSE Higher

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

MathsUKwww.geekhero.co.uk

1.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
2.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
3.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
4.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
5.Sam rounds 0.070268 to 3 significant figures and writes 0.0703. Which of these statements is correct?
(a)Sam should have written 0.070
(b)Sam should have written 0.0704
(c)Sam is correct
(d)Sam should have written 0.0702
6.Round 0.006482 to 2 significant figures.
(a)0.01
(b)0.00648
(c)0.0065
(d)0.006
7.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
8.Which of these numbers rounds to 0.048 when rounded to 2 significant figures?
(a)0.0485
(b)0.052
(c)0.0479
(d)0.04
9.Round 0.006852 to 2 significant figures.
(a)0.0069
(b)0.0068
(c)0.007
(d)0.00685
10.A number, y, is equal to 8.2 when rounded to 1 decimal place. Write down the error interval for y.
(a)8.15 ≤ y < 8.25
(b)8.15 < y < 8.25
(c)8.1 ≤ y < 8.2
(d)8.2 ≤ y < 8.3
11.Four friends share a restaurant bill of £53.90 equally. A calculator gives each share as 13.475. Work out how much each friend should pay.
(a)£13.47
(b)£13.48
(c)£13.50
(d)£13.40
12.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
13.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
14.A crowd of 8,400 people is recorded correct to the nearest 100. Work out the smallest possible number of people in the crowd.
(a)8,350
(b)8,450
(c)8,390
(d)8,300
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

Build your own mix at the worksheet builder.