NAVAL BASE SECONDARY SCHOOL
MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT
Sec 1 Express Mathematics
Chapter 3 : Approximation and Estimation
Notes
Name: ________________________________ ( ) Class: _________ Date: ____________
3.1 Introduction to Approximation
Objectives: At the end of the lessons, students should be able to
● round off numbers to a required number of decimal places
● round off numbers to a required number of significant figures
Approximation is the rounding of numbers to a required degree of accuracy.
Prerequisite
Let’s recap on the number placing positions. Fill in the blanks with a number from the following
figure.
1894.237
(i) Thousands place: ______ (v) Thousandths place: ______
(ii) Hundreds place: ______ (vi) Hundredths place: ______
(iii) Tens place: ______ (vii) Tenths place: ______
(iv) Ones place: ______
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Example 1 (Rounding off)
Based on the following number, correct to: When rounding off numbers:
(1) Round down if the digit
16.49583 under consideration is 4 or
(a) the nearest whole number. Ans: 16 less.
(b) two decimal places. Ans: 16.50 Round up if the digit under
consideration is 5 or more.
(c) the nearest integer Ans: 16
(2) Check the value of
approximation against the
original value
Practice 1
Round off the following correct to (i) two decimal places and (ii) the nearest whole number:
(a) $12.3125 (b) 57.6283
(c) 1.99976 cm (d) 101.3333 kg
(e) 3.23495 (f) $ 4.5671
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Example 2 (Significant figures)
Let us consider the following case.
A grain of table salt weighs 0.0001208g. If the answer is rounded off to 3 decimal places, the
weight of the salt is now:
0.0001208 g = 0.000 g (3 d.p.)
This value we obtain is not useful for calculations! Instead of rounding off to 3 decimal places, we
round off according to significant figures.
5 Rules for Determining Number of Significant Figures:
All non-zero digits are significant.
E.g. 34.58 has 4 significant figures.
All zeros between non-zero digits are significant.
E.g. 10237 has 5 significant figures.
In a decimal, all zeros after decimal points and a non-zero
number are significant.
E.g. 1.7890 has 5 significant figures.
In a decimal, all zeros after a non-zero digit are significant.
E.g. 0.0056 has 2 significant figures.
All zeros at the end of a whole number may or may not be
significant depending on how the number is rounded off
E.g. 10010 has 4 significant figures OR
5 significant figures.
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In a rounded off decimal, all digits, other than zeros preceding the
first non-zero digit, are significant figures.
E.g. 0.0503 has 3 significant figures ‘503’
0.05030 has 4 significant figures ‘5030’
In a rounded off whole number, the ending zeros may or may not
be significant. If it is the result of rounding off to the nearest 10,
100, 1000, …, then the last 1 zero, 2 zeros, 3 zeros, …,
respectively, are not significant. All the other digits are significant
figures.
E.g. 23000 (to the nearest 10) has 4 significant figures
23000 (to the nearest 100) has 3 significant figures
23000 (to the nearest 1000) has 2 significant figures
Practice 2
Based on the following number, correct to:
21.03460970
(a) 2 significant figures.
Ans: ___________
(b) 3 significant figures.
Ans: ___________
(c) 4 significant figures.
Ans: ___________
(d) 5 significant figures.
Ans: ___________
(e) 7 significant figures.
Ans: ___________
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Example 3
Express the following correct to 2 significant figures.
(a) 0.04862 (b) 2.99
Solution: 0.049 (2SF) Solution: 3.0 (2SF)
(c) 0.90945 (d) 54.0243
Solution: 0.91 (2SF) Solution: 54 (2SF)
(e) 1.589 (f) 20.03
Solution: 1.6 (2SF) Solution: 20 (2SF)
Practice 3(a)
Write 1 354.154 correct to the number of significant figures indicated below.
(a) 1
(b) 2
(c) 3
(d) 4
(e) 5
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Practice 3(b)
Round off
(a) 29 470 to 3 significant figures
(b) 98 836 to 2 significant figures
(c) 851.02 to 4 significant figures
(d) 750.645 to 4 significant figures
(e) 0.079816 to 3 significant figures
(f) 0.000 557 to 2 significant figures
(g) 6407.37 to 5 significant figures
(h) 3.0072 to 4 significant figures
Practice 3(c)
Express each of the following correct to
(i) 2 decimal places, (ii) 2 significant figures.
(a) 3.825 1 (b) 0.013 527 6
(c) 0.207 9 (d) 5.068 4
(e) 12.384 7 (f) 197.143 92
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Practice 3(d)
State the number of significant figures in each of the following.
(a) 0.00063
(b) 7006.12
(c) 27.3752
(d) 392.6445
(e) 1.0780
Example 4
494.6
(a) Calculate 56.33 98.12 showing all the figures on your calculator display.
(b) Give your answer correct to 1 decimal place.
Solution:
(a) 0.08948635556
(b) 0.1
Practice 4
384.8
(a) Calculate 47.23 91.43 showing all the figures on your calculator display.
(b) Give your answer correct to 2 decimal place.
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Example 5
The mass of a pebble is 25 grams correct to 2 significant figures. Find the minimum mass of the
pebble.
Solution:
Thought process: To find the minimum mass of the pebble, we need to determine the range of
values that round to 25 grams when rounded to 2 significant figures.
Possible values include 24.5, 24.6, 24.7, … , 25.1, 25.2, 25.3, 25.4, and the smallest value is 24.5
grams.
Practice 5
The length of a string is 340 cm correct to 3 significant figures. Find the maximum length of the
string.
Complete WS 1 by _________
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3.2 Approximation & Approximation errors in Real-world contexts
Learning Experience 1
Paste your receipt collected below and answer the questions that follow.
(a) Express the total amount of the items correct to 3 significant figures.
(b) Express the cash given correct to
(i) 2 significant figures,
(ii) 3 significant figures,
(iii) 1 significant figure.
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(c) Look at the below receipt issued by a restaurant in Singapore. Discuss with your partner and fill
in the answers.
(i) What was the amount charged on the customer?
(ii) How was approximation used in this scenario?
(iii) If you were the owner and did not want to lose out the few cents due to rounding off, what
other mode of approximation can you do to solve this problem?
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3.3 Estimation
Objectives: At the end of the lessons, students should be able to
● estimate quantities to an appropriate degree of accuracy
● estimate the results of computations
● understand the effects of rounding errors in intermediate steps of calculations
Estimation enables us to make a prediction on our calculations.
Symbol for estimation is .
Example 6
By rounding each number to 1 significant figure, estimate the value of
8.86 97.8
0.043 301 .
Show your working.
Solution:
8.86 97.8 9 100
= 75
0.043 301 0.04 300
Practice 6a
By rounding each number to 1 significant figure, estimate the value of
5.37 89.8
0.027 503 .
Show your working.
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Practice 6b
For a wedding reception, with 334 guests, the caterers charge $59.95 per person. By approximating
both the charge and the number of guests to 2 significant figures, estimate the cost of the catering
for the reception. Show your working and give your answer to a reasonable degree of accuracy.
Complete WS 2 by _________
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HOMEWORK WORKSHEET 1
Ch 3.1 Rounding and Significant figures
Complete the following questions on foolscap.
Compulsory Questions
1. Textbook 1A (pg 79): Exercise 3A Qn 4
2. Textbook 1A (pg 79): Exercise 3A Qn 5
3. Textbook 1A (pg 79): Exercise 3A Qn 6
4. Textbook 1A (pg 79): Exercise 3A Qn 11
5. Express 204.016 to
(a) the nearest integer,
(b) 2 decimal places. [1E | MYE | 2011 | Ang Mo Kio Sec Sch]
494 .6
6. (a) Calculate 56.33 98.12 , showing all the figures on your calculator display.
6. (b) Give your answer correct to 1 decimal place.
[‘O’ Level | Nov | 2009 |P1 Qn 19a]
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HOMEWORK WORKSHEET 2
Ch 3.2 Approximation & Approximation errors in Real-world contexts
Complete the following questions on foolscap.
Compulsory Questions
Question 1
The population of France in 2006 was 63 587 70. Give this answer correct to:
(a) 3 significant figures.
(b) 2 significant figures. [New Maths Counts (2nd Edition)]
Question 2
Express the following numbers correct to the degree of accuracy indicated within the brackets.
(a) 18.749 (2 decimal places)
(b) 59 510 (2 significant figures)
(c) 0.030067 (3 significant figures)
[1E | MYE | 2011 | ACS (Barker)]
Question 3
36.398 24.9068
By rounding each number to 2 significant figures, estimate the value .
49.5346
of Show your workings.
[1E | MYE | 2011 | Bowen Sec Sch]
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