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.

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Rounding, significant figures and error intervals worksheet — GCSE Higher

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

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1.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
2.Round 0.006852 to 2 significant figures.
(a)0.0069
(b)0.0068
(c)0.007
(d)0.00685
3.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
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.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
6.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
7.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
8.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
9.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
10.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
11.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
12.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
13.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
14.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
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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