Practice with
Error in Measurement
Topic Index | Algebra Index | Regents Exam Prep Center

 

Answer the following questions dealing with error in measurement.
Grab your calculator.


1.

If the tolerance of a dimension on a machine part is listed as
2.54 cm 0.03 cm, 
which dimension does not meet specified tolerance?

Choose:

2.54 cm
2.56 cm
2.58 cm
2.51 cm 

 

 

2.

A computer monitor is rectangular in shape.  To the nearest inch, the length of the monitor is 15 inches and its width to the nearest inch is 13 inches.

 What is the least possible value of the area of the computer monitor to the nearest ten?

 

 

 

3.

Bosie, the cow, weighs 851 pounds, to the nearest pound.  Which weight listed cannot be the actual weight of the cow?

Choose:

850.6 pounds
851.0 pounds
851.4 pounds
851.6 pounds

 

 


 

4.

 

A value, d, has been rounded to the nearest tenth and is 5.7 units. 
Which interval represents the location of the exact value of d, prior to rounding?

Choose:

5.65 < d < 5.75
5.65 < d < 5.75
5.65 < d < 5.75  
5.65 < d < 5.74

 

 

5.

 

A square has an area of 30 square centimeters when rounded to the nearest square centimeter.  Which length could be the greatest possible value for the side of the square in centimeters?

Choose:

5.432 cm
5.477 cm
5.522 cm
5.523 cm

 

 

6.

A box is 15 inches long, 12 inches wide and 8 inches high when the dimensions are rounded to the nearest inch.  Assuming the measurements are off by 1%,  find to the nearest cubic inch, the largest possible volume of the box.

Choose:

1397
1440
1484
1491

 

 

7.

The radius of this circular dartboard is measured as 9 inches, rounded to the nearest inch.  The actual radius is 8.6 inches.  What, to the nearest percent, is the percent of error in the measurement of the radius?

Choose:

3%
4%
5%
6%

 

 

8.

A measurement is taken with a metric ruler with a precision of 0.1 cm.  The measurement is 3.4 cm.  What is the tolerance interval for this measurement?

Choose:

3.3 to 3.5 cm
3.35 to 3.45 cm
3.35 to 3.44 cm
3 to 4 cm

 

 

9.

A part for a vacuum cleaner is to have a width of 1.7 inches 0.2 inch.  What is the lower limit of the tolerance interval for this measurement?

Choose:

1 in
1.5 in
1.9 in
2 in

 

 

10.

If the circumference of a circle is 471.24 inches, find the number of square inches in the area of the circle. 
 

Choose:

17671.54132
17681.3
17664.4123

 

 

11.

The width of this animal's paw print is 3 inches to the nearest inch.  Which of the numbers listed cannot be the actual width of the paw print?

Choose:

2.4 in
2.8 in
3.2 in
3.4 in

 


 

12.

A student mistakenly measures the length of a radius to be 24 inches.  The actual radius is 25 inches.

a.  What is the student's percent of error on this measurement?
 

b.  If the student uses this measurement to compute the area of a circle with this radius, what is the student's percent of error on the area computation, to the nearest tenth of a percent?

                                  

Choose:
a.

4%
15%
25%
40%

b.

4.3%
7.8%
28.2%
45.7%

 


 

13.


A measurement is taken to be 20.4 cm and the absolute error is 0.05 cm.  Find the percent of error.

Choose:

0.0024509804%
0.24509804%
.408%
4.08%

 


 

14.


A ruler has a precision of 0.1 cm.  A rectangle is measured to be 19.4 cm by 11.2 cm. 

a.)  What is the relative error, expressed as a decimal, in calculating the area?

b.)  What is the percent error, to the nearest tenth of a percent, in calculating the area?
 

a.)  Choose:

0.70531112
0.0070037132
0.0070531112
0.70037132


b.)  Choose:

0.7%
0.07%
0.1%
7.1%

 


 

15.

The groundskeeper is replacing the turf on a football field.  His measurements of the field are 130 yards by 60 yards.  The actual measurements are 120 yards by 54 yards.  Which expression represents the relative error in the measurement?


 

Choose:




 

 

16.

Cassidy measures the side of a square and rounds her answer to the nearest integer as 10 inches.  What is the minimum possible area of the actual square?

Choose:

 88.36 in2
 90.25 in2
 100
in2
  110.25
in2