Sec 1 Math: Approximation / Estimation I) Substitution Problems (Advanced)
Given that √𝟑𝟑. 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 = 𝟏𝟏. 𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖 and √𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑. 𝟕𝟕 = 𝟓𝟓. 𝟕𝟕𝟕𝟕𝟕𝟕, without using a calculator,
A) Rounding off to required decimal place (d.p.) (Basic) F) Estimation
evaluate
Round off 8.3796 to Estimation is a way to get a rough value of a calculation quickly without using a
a) √𝟎𝟎. 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑
a) 1 decimal place calculator.
If you see the word “estimate” in the question, make sure to: b) √𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑
b) 2 decimal place
1) Round off FIRST Note: Working and presentation for this question is very important. Wrong
c) 3 decimal place
2) Then do the calculation. working equals zero marks even if answer is correct.
d) nearest whole number
3) Round off AGAIN at the end to the desired accuracy!
32.7
a) 8.3796 = 8.4 (1 𝑑𝑑. 𝑝𝑝. ) Note: “Estimate” questions always involve rounding off TWO times. Once at the a) √0.327 = �
100
b) 8.3796 = 8.38 (2 𝑑𝑑. 𝑝𝑝. ) beginning and once at the end. √32.7
=
c) 8.3796 = 8.380 (3 𝑑𝑑. 𝑝𝑝. ) 10
5.718
d) 8.3796 = 8 (nearest whole number) G) Estimation (Without Square/Cube Root) Example (Intermediate) =
10
Estimate the following, giving your answer corrected 1 significant figure: = 0.5718
B) Significant Figures (S.f.) Rules a) 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑. 𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖 − 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏. 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑
Rule 1: All non-zero digits are significant b) 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏. 𝟏𝟏 × 𝟎𝟎. 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 b) √32700 = √3.27 × 10000
e.g. 51 (2 s.f.), 81.9 (3 s.f.) c)
𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒.𝟕𝟕𝟕𝟕
= √3.27 × 100
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏.𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐
Rule 2: Zero(s) between non-zero digits are significant
Note: Round off to 1 digit more than what the question specify first. Since this = 1.808 × 100
e.g. 5002 (4 s.f.), 2.034 (4 s.f.)
question asks for an accuracy of 1 s.f., we will first round off the numbers to 2 s.f. = 180.8
Rule 3: Zero(s) that come before the first non-zero digit are not
significant before calculation.
e.g. 0.0062 (2 s.f.), 0.0103 (3 s.f.) J) Reverse Approximation Problems (Advanced)
a) 34.82 − 19.35 ≈ 35 − 19 (Round to 2 s.f.) If an integer is 5000 when it is rounded off to 𝟐𝟐 significant figures, find the
Rule 4: Zero(s) following a non-zero digit after the decimal point are
= 16 difference between the maximum and minimum possible values of the integer.
significant
e.g. 0.200 (3 s.f.), 82.30 (4 s.f.) = 20 (1 𝑠𝑠. 𝑓𝑓. )
Rule 5: Zero(s) following a non-zero digit in a whole number may or b) 128.1 × 0.2025 ≈ 130 × 0.20 The maximum possible value of the integer = 5049
may not be significant = 26 The minimum possible value of the integer = 4950
e.g. 6300 (2s.f, 3s.f. or 4 s.f.), 500 (1 s.f., 2 s.f. or 3 s.f.) = 30 (1 𝑠𝑠. 𝑓𝑓. ) The maximum difference = 5049 − 4950
44.73 45
c) ≈ = 99
15.21 15
C) Identify number of S.F. D) Rounding off to = 3 (1 𝑠𝑠. 𝑓𝑓. )
(Basic) Required S.F. (Basic) K) Reverse Approximation Problems (Advanced)
State the number of significant Round off each of the following H) Estimation (With Square/Cube Root) Example (Intermediate) a) The area of a rectangle is 𝟕𝟕𝟕𝟕. 𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓𝒎𝒎𝟐𝟐 when corrected to one decimal place and
figures in each of the following: to the number of significant Estimate the following, giving your answer corrected 1 significant figure: its breadth is 𝟗𝟗. 𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖 when corrected to two decimal places. Find the greatest
a) 2339 figures as stated in the brackets. 𝟑𝟑
√𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑.𝟒𝟒× √𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏
possible length of the rectangle, corrected to one decimal place.
a)
b) 0.00280 a) 4586 (3 s.f.) √𝟒𝟒.𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓
c) 3400 b) 0.05758 (2 s.f.) b)
√𝟗𝟗𝟗𝟗−𝟐𝟐.𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟕𝟕𝟐𝟐 b) A solid cylindrical block of wood has a radius of 28cm and a height of 60cm.
𝟑𝟑
d) 210.0 c) 3.401 (3 s.f.)
√𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 Both values are measured to the nearest cm. Find the smallest possible volume
Note: Values in square or cube roots, we will round the values off to the nearest
e) 20.05 d) 234015 (2 s.f.) of the wood correct to the nearest whole number.
perfect square and perfect cube respectively.
e) 39.95 (3 s.f.) (Volume of cylinder = 𝝅𝝅𝒓𝒓𝟐𝟐 𝒉𝒉)
a) 2339 has 4 s.f. √35.4× √121
3
√36× √125
3
Don’t write on paper but
a) ≈ a) Greatest possible length of a rectangle
b) 0.00280 has 3 s.f. a) 4586 = 4590 (3 𝑠𝑠. 𝑓𝑓. ) √4.51 √4 Use calculator evaluate 𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺𝐺 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎
6×5
c) 3400 has 2 or 3 or 4 s.f. b) 0.05758 = 0.058 (2 𝑠𝑠. 𝑓𝑓. ) = =
2 √35.4 = 5.95 round off to 6, 62 = 36 𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏𝑏ℎ
74.54999
d) 210.0 has 4 s.f. c) 3.401 = 3.40 (3 𝑠𝑠. 𝑓𝑓. ) = 15 3
√121 = 4.95 round off to 5, 53 = 125 =
9.835
e) 20.05 has 4 s.f. d) 234015 = 230000 (2 𝑠𝑠. 𝑓𝑓. ) = 20 ( 1 𝑠𝑠. 𝑓𝑓. ) ≈ 7.580 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐
√4.51 = 2.12 round off to 2, 22 = 4
e) 39.95 = 40.0 (3 𝑠𝑠. 𝑓𝑓. ) b)
√98−2.0272
≈
√100−22
= 7.6 𝑐𝑐𝑐𝑐 (1 𝑑𝑑. 𝑝𝑝. )
3 3
√26 √27
10−4
E) Evaluate and Round off (Basic) =
6
3 b) Smallest possible volume of wood
𝟑𝟑
√𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐.𝟔𝟔−𝟎𝟎.𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 = = 𝜋𝜋(𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 𝑟𝑟)2 × (𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆𝑆 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 ℎ𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒𝑒ℎ𝑡𝑡)
Use a calculator, evaluate and correct the answer to 3 s.f. 3
7.64−(1.7)2
3 = 2 (1 𝑠𝑠. 𝑓𝑓. ) = 𝜋𝜋(27.5)2 × (59.5)
√21.6−0.2033
≈ 0.5435059579 = 0.544 (3 𝑠𝑠. 𝑓𝑓. ) ≈ 141361.8519
7.64−(1.7)2
Unauthorized copying, resale and distribution prohibited. Copyright © [Link]. All rights reserved = 141362 𝑐𝑐𝑚𝑚3
Self Practice
1) Rounding off to required decimal place (d.p.) (Basic) 6) Estimation (With Square/Cube Root) Example (Intermediate)
Round off 8.3796 to Estimate the following, giving your answer corrected 1 significant figure:
a) 1 decimal place 𝟑𝟑
√𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑.𝟒𝟒× √𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏
a)
b) 2 decimal place √𝟒𝟒.𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓
√𝟗𝟗𝟗𝟗−𝟐𝟐.𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟕𝟕𝟐𝟐
c) 3 decimal place b) 𝟑𝟑
√𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐
d) nearest whole number
7) Substitution Problems (Advanced)
2) Identify number of S.F. (Basic) Given that √𝟑𝟑. 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐 = 𝟏𝟏. 𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖 and √𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑. 𝟕𝟕 = 𝟓𝟓. 𝟕𝟕𝟕𝟕𝟕𝟕, without using a calculator, evaluate
State the number of significant figures in each of the following:
a) √𝟎𝟎. 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑
a) 2339
b) √𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑
b) 0.00280
c) 3400
d) 210.0
e) 20.05 8) Reverse Approximation Problems (Advanced)
If an integer is 5000 when it is rounded off to 𝟐𝟐 significant figures, find the difference between the maximum
and minimum possible values of the integer.
3) Rounding off to Required S.F. (Basic)
Round off each of the following to the number of significant figures as stated in the brackets.
a) 4586 (3 s.f.) 9) Reverse Approximation Problems (Advanced)
b) 0.05758 (2 s.f.) a) The area of a rectangle is 𝟕𝟕𝟕𝟕. 𝟓𝟓𝟓𝟓𝒎𝒎𝟐𝟐 when corrected to one decimal place and its breadth is 𝟗𝟗. 𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖 when
c) 3.401 (3 s.f.) corrected to two decimal places. Find the greatest possible length of the rectangle, corrected to one decimal
d) 234015 (2 s.f.) place.
e) 39.95 (3 s.f.)
b) A solid cylindrical block of wood has a radius of 28cm and a height of 60cm. Both values are measured to the
nearest cm. Find the smallest possible volume of the wood correct to the nearest whole number.
(Volume of cylinder = 𝝅𝝅𝒓𝒓𝟐𝟐 𝒉𝒉)
4) Evaluate and Round off (Basic)
𝟑𝟑
√𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐.𝟔𝟔−𝟎𝟎.𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐
Use a calculator, evaluate and correct the answer to 3 s.f.
7.64−(1.7)2
5) Estimation (Without Square/Cube Root) Example (Intermediate)
Estimate the following, giving your answer corrected 1 significant figure:
a) 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑. 𝟖𝟖𝟖𝟖 − 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏. 𝟑𝟑𝟑𝟑
b) 𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏. 𝟏𝟏 × 𝟎𝟎. 𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐
𝟒𝟒𝟒𝟒.𝟕𝟕𝟕𝟕
c)
𝟏𝟏𝟏𝟏.𝟐𝟐𝟐𝟐
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