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Approximation and estimation

10 flashcards to master Approximation and estimation

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Key Concept Flip

Round 3.14159 to 3 decimal places.

Answer Flip

Identify the 4th decimal place (5). Since 5 ≥ 5, round up the 3rd decimal place. Therefore, 3.14159 rounded to 3 decimal places is 3.142.

Key Concept Flip

Round 0.006789 to 2 significant figures.

Answer Flip

The first significant figure is 6. The second is 7. Since the next digit is 8 (≥ 5), round 7 up to 8. The answer is 0.0068.

Key Concept Flip

Estimate the value of (4.8 × 10.1) / 2.3 by rounding each number to 1 significant figure.

Answer Flip

Round 4.8 to 5, 10.1 to 10, and 2.3 to 2. The estimation is (5 × 10) / 2 = 25. Therefore, the estimated value is 25.

Definition Flip

Define 'upper bound' in the context of approximation.

Answer Flip

The upper bound is the largest possible value a quantity could be, given a certain level of accuracy or rounding. It represents the maximum limit of the true value.

Definition Flip

Answer Flip

Key Concept Flip

A length is measured as 8.6 cm, correct to the nearest 0.1 cm. Find the upper bound of the length.

Answer Flip

The upper bound is found by adding half of the degree of accuracy (0.1/2 = 0.05) to the measured value. Upper bound = 8.6 + 0.05 = 8.65 cm.

Key Concept Flip

A length is measured as 8.6 cm, correct to the nearest 0.1 cm. Find the lower bound of the length.

Answer Flip

The lower bound is found by subtracting half of the degree of accuracy (0.1/2 = 0.05) from the measured value. Lower bound = 8.6 - 0.05 = 8.55 cm.

Key Concept Flip

Explain the difference between 'rounding' and 'truncation'.

Answer Flip

Rounding adjusts a number to the nearest specified place value, while truncation simply cuts off the digits beyond a certain point without any adjustment.

Example: Rounding 3.14159 to 2 decimal places is 3.14. Truncating gives you 3.14.
Key Concept Flip

The sides of a rectangle are measured as 6 cm and 4 cm, correct to the nearest cm. Calculate the upper bound of the area.

Answer Flip

The upper bound of each side is 6.5 cm and 4.5 cm. The upper bound of the area is (6.5)(4.5) = 29.25 cm².

Definition Flip

What does 'degree of accuracy' mean in the context of measurement?

Answer Flip

Degree of accuracy refers to the smallest unit a measurement device can reliably distinguish. It determines the possible error range in the measurement.

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1.5 Ratio, proportion and rate 1.7 Limits of accuracy

Key Questions: Approximation and estimation

Define 'upper bound' in the context of approximation.

The upper bound is the largest possible value a quantity could be, given a certain level of accuracy or rounding. It represents the maximum limit of the true value.

What does 'degree of accuracy' mean in the context of measurement?

Degree of accuracy refers to the smallest unit a measurement device can reliably distinguish. It determines the possible error range in the measurement.

About Approximation and estimation (1.6)

These 10 flashcards cover everything you need to know about Approximation and estimation for your Cambridge IGCSE Mathematics (0580) exam. Each card is designed based on the official syllabus requirements.

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