Upper & Lower Bounds 07/09/2023

LO: To be able to calculate lower and upper bounds of a measurement

5
1

3
6

4
 Symbols
…is LESS THAN

…is GREATER THAN

…is less than OR EQUAL TO

…is greater than OR EQUAL TO

What is truncation?
◦ In simplest terms, truncation means to chop off the decimal
portion of a number. This means:
◦ Truncating 3.3 returns 3
◦ Truncating 3.8 returns 3
◦ And so on.
The Empire State Building 442.5 ≤ Height < 443.5
is 443m high to the nearest
metre
444

443.49999999999999999…..
443.5

Upper and
443 lower bounds

442.5

442
Upper & Lower Bounds 11/09/2023

Continued
Easily getting bounds
To find bounds, just add or subtract half the accuracy!

Value: 250m Correct to: nearest 10m

? = 245m
Lower Bound = 250 – (10/2)
?
Upper Bound = 250 + (10/2) = 255m

Value: 423mm Correct to: tenth of a mm

Lower Bound = 423 - (0.1/2) ?= 422.95mm

Upper Bound = 423 + (0.1/2) ?= 423.05mm
 Test your understanding
1. 2300kg measured to the nearest 100kg.
Upper bound: 2350kg
Lower bound: 2250kg
2. 60 metres measured to the nearest metre.
Upper bound: 60.5m
Lower bound: 59.5m
3. 7.58m measured to the nearest centimetre.

Upper bound: 7.585m

Lower bound: 7.575m
Further Example
Zeynab records the time Zara took to run a race. The time recorded was
183 seconds, rounded to the nearest seconds.
(a) What is the minimum her time could have been?
(b) What is the maximum?
(c) If her actual (unrounded) time was 𝑡, write an error interval for 𝑡.
(d) Represent this error interval on a number line.

a
?
182.5 seconds 182.4 would have rounded
to 182 not 183
b
?
183.5 seconds
This is confusing because 183.5 rounds to 184 seconds!
c What we really mean is 183.49999…, i.e. a value
?
182.5 ≤ 𝑡 < 183.5 infinitesimally just below 183.5. But it’s possible to prove that
183.49999… = 183.5, so we just write 183.5.

Note that this inequality includes the 182.5, but doesn’t

d include the 183.5 (as per above discussion)
Recall that a filled circle means the v alue is included,
and an unfilled one means the v alue (of 183.5) is not
included.
?
181 182 183 184 Time 𝑡 (secs)
 Your turn
These numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10, write down the largest
and smallest values they could be. Express your answers as inequalities in
terms of x:
a. 50 b. 80 c. 110
45 ≤ x < 55 75 ≤ x < 85 105 ≤ x < 115

These numbers have been rounded to the nearest whole number, write down
the upper and lower bounds. Express your answers as inequalities in terms
of x:
a. 3 b. 17 c. 100
2.5 ≤ x < 3.5 16.5 ≤ x < 17.5 99.5 ≤ x < 100.5

These lengths have been rounded to the nearest tenth, write the upper and
lower limits. Express your answers as inequalities in terms of x:
a. 12.5cm b. 21.7cm c. 52.1cm
12.45 ≤ x < 12.55 21.65 ≤ x < 21.75 52.05 ≤ x < 52.15
 Upper & Lower Bounds 13/09/2023

Continued
Starter:
Work out the lower and upper bound for each value
given the accuracy, and write the resulting error interval.
Value (𝒙) Accuracy Lower Bound Upper Bound Error Interval of 𝒙
7cm Nearest cm 6.5cm 7.5cm 𝟔. 𝟓 ≤ 𝒙 < 𝟕. 𝟓
5.3m To 1 dp 5.25m? 5.35m? 𝟓. 𝟐𝟓 ≤ ?𝒙 < 𝟓. 𝟑𝟓
200km Nearest 10km 195km? 205km? 𝟏𝟗𝟓 ≤ ?𝒙 < 𝟐𝟎𝟓
8.04mm To 2 dp 8.035mm? 8.045mm? 𝟖. 𝟎𝟑𝟓 ≤ ?𝒙 < 𝟖. 𝟎𝟒𝟓
3m Nearest cm 2.995m ? 3.005m ? 𝟐. 𝟗𝟗𝟓 ≤ ?𝒙 < 𝟑. 𝟎𝟎𝟓
830 litres 2sf ?
825 litres ?
835 litres 𝟖𝟐𝟗. 𝟓 ≤?𝒙 < 𝟖𝟑𝟓
830 litres 3sf ?
829.5 litres ?
830.5 litres 𝟖𝟐𝟗. 𝟓 ≤ ?𝒙 < 𝟖𝟑𝟎. 𝟓
100 miles 1sf 95m ? 150m ? 𝟗𝟓 ≤ 𝒙?< 𝟏𝟓𝟎
 1 If a time 𝑡 was 27 seconds correct to the
nearest second, determine: 6 [Edexcel GCSE(9-1) Mock Set 3 Autumn 2017 3H Q8] Kiera
(a) The lower bound. 26.5? used her calculator to work out the value of a number 𝑥.
(b) The upper bound. 27.5? She wrote down the first two digits of the answer on her
calculator. She wrote down 7.3.
?
(c) The error interval. 𝟐𝟔. 𝟓 ≤ 𝒕 < 𝟐𝟕. 𝟓
Write down the error interval for 𝑥.
2 If a time 𝑡 was 80 seconds correct to the ?
𝟕. 𝟑 ≤ 𝒙 < 𝟕. 𝟒
nearest 10 seconds, determine the error
interval of 𝑡. 7 A laser measures a distance and displays 3 metres to
?
𝟕𝟓 ≤ 𝒕 < 𝟖𝟓
some given degree of accuracy. Find the lower and
upper bound when the accuracy was:
3 [Edexcel GCSE(9-1) Nov 2017 3F Q23b, Nov
2017 3H Q5b] Jess rounds a number, 𝑥, to ?
To the nearest metre. 𝟐. 𝟓𝒎 𝟑. 𝟓𝒎
one decimal place. The result is 9.8. To the nearest cm. ?
𝟐. 𝟗𝟗𝟓𝒎 𝟑. 𝟎𝟎𝟓𝒎
Write down the error interval for 𝑥. To the nearest mm. ?
𝟐. 𝟗𝟗𝟗𝟓𝒎 𝟑.𝟎𝟎𝟎𝟓𝒎

?
𝟗. 𝟕𝟓 ≤ 𝒙 < 𝟗. 𝟖𝟓
8 An Events Organiser planning a concert is told that a
Exercise 1

stadium has a capacity of 30,000, correct to 1 significant

4 [Edexcel GCSE(9-1) June 2017 3F Q23aii] figure. The organiser wants to ensure that anyone he sells
Harley’s house has a value of £160 000
correct to 2 significant figures. tickets to is guaranteed a seat. How many tickets can he
Write down the greatest possible value of sell? 25000?
the house. £165000
?
5 A weight measurement 𝑤 is truncated to
24.35kg to 2 decimal places. What is the
upper bound of 𝑤? 24.36kg
?
 Upper & Lower Bounds 14/09/2023
L/O: to calculate upper and lower bounds involvinh adding
and subtraction
Starter:
 Two giraffes were measured to the nearest metre.

6m 4m

A B

6.5 m
5.5 m 4.5 m
3.5 m

What is the maximum difference in height?

maximum (A) − minimum (B) 3 m

What is the minimum difference in height?

minimum (A) − maximum (B) 1 m
 A B Minimum Maximum

Addition X(max) +
X(min) + Y(min)
X+Y Y(max)
Subtractio
5 kg 7 kg n X(min) − Y(max) X(max) − Y(min)
to the nearest kg to the nearest kg X−Y

4500 ⩽ m < 5500 6500 ⩽ m < 7500

What is the maximum total mass of potatoes?

A (max) + B (max) 5500 + 7500 = 13 kg

What is the minimum total mass of potatoes?

A (min) + B (min) 4500 + 6500 = 11 kg

What is the maximum difference mass of potatoes?

B (max) − A(min) 7500 − 4500 = 3 kg

What is the minimum difference mass of potatoes?

B (min) − A (max) 6500 − 5500 = 1 kg
 DEMO Calculations with Error Intervals

5+7
Both of these numbers have been rounded.

What is the maximum exact value

of the calculation?

4.5 ⩽ A < 5.5 6.5 ⩽ B < 7.5

5.5 + 7.5 = 13
Exact value must be < 13

maximum + maximum
 DEMO Calculations with Error Intervals

8+4
Both of these numbers have been rounded.

What is the minimum exact value

of the calculation?

7.5 ⩽ A < 8.5 3.5 ⩽ B < 4.5

7.5 + 3.5 = 11
Exact value must be ⩾ 11

minimum + minimum
 DEMO Calculations with Error Intervals

6−2
Both of these numbers have been rounded.

What is the minimum exact value

of the calculation?

5.5 ⩽ A < 6.5 1.5 ⩽ B < 2.5

5.5 − 2.5 = 3

minimum − maximum
 DEMO Calculations with Error Intervals

8−3
Both of these numbers have been rounded.

What is the maximum exact value

of the calculation?

7.5 ⩽ A < 8.5 2.5 ⩽ B < 3.5

8.5 − 2.5 = 6

maximum − minimum
 DEMO Calculations with Error Intervals YOUR TURN

8−3 12 + 7
Both of these numbers have been rounded. Both of these numbers have been rounded.

What is the maximum exact value What is the maximum exact value
of the calculation? of the calculation?

7.5 ⩽ A < 8.5 2.5 ⩽ B < 3.5 11.5 ⩽ A < 12.5 6.5 ⩽ B < 7.5

8.5 − 2.5 = 6 12.5 + 7.5= 20

maximum − minimum maximum + maximum

 DEMO Calculations with Error Intervals YOUR TURN

8−3 15 − 9
Both of these numbers have been rounded. Both of these numbers have been rounded.

What is the maximum exact value What is the maximum exact value
of the calculation? of the calculation?

7.5 ⩽ A < 8.5 2.5 ⩽ B < 3.5 14.5 ⩽ A < 15.5 8.5 ⩽ B < 9.5

8.5 − 2.5 = 6 15.5 − 8.5 = 7

maximum − minimum maximum − minimum

 DEMO Calculations with Error Intervals YOUR TURN

8−3 22 − 15
Both of these numbers have been rounded. Both of these numbers have been rounded.

What is the maximum exact value What is the minimum exact value
of the calculation? of the calculation?

7.5 ⩽ A < 8.5 2.5 ⩽ B < 3.5 21.5 ⩽ A < 22.5 14.5 ⩽ B < 15.5

8.5 − 2.5 = 6 21.5 − 15.5= 6

maximum − minimum minimum − maximum

 DEMO Calculations with Error Intervals YOUR TURN

8−3 2.6 + 1.2

Both of these numbers have been rounded. Both of these numbers have been rounded.

What is the maximum exact value What is the minimum exact value
of the calculation? of the calculation?

7.5 ⩽ A < 8.5 2.5 ⩽ B < 3.5 2.55 ⩽ A < 2.65 1.15 ⩽ B < 1.25

8.5 − 2.5 = 6 2.55 + 1.15= 3.7

maximum − minimum minimum + minimum

 DEMO Calculations with Error Intervals YOUR TURN

8−3 8.2 − 4.4

Both of these numbers have been rounded. Both of these numbers have been rounded.

What is the maximum exact value What is the maximum exact value
of the calculation? of the calculation?

7.5 ⩽ A < 8.5 2.5 ⩽ B < 3.5 8.15 ⩽ A < 8.25 4.35 ⩽ B < 4.45

8.5 − 2.5 = 6 8.25 − 4.35 = 3.9

maximum − minimum maximum − minimum

 DEMO Calculations with Error Intervals YOUR TURN

8−3 7 − 3.5
Both of these numbers have been rounded. Both of these numbers have been rounded.

What is the maximum exact value What is the minimum exact value
of the calculation? of the calculation?

7.5 ⩽ A < 8.5 2.5 ⩽ B < 3.5 6.5 ⩽ A < 7.5 3.45 ⩽ B < 3.55

8.5 − 2.5 = 6 6.5 − 3.55= 2.95

maximum − minimum minimum − maximum

 DEMO Calculations with Error Intervals YOUR TURN

These numbers have been rounded.

8−3
For these calculations,
Both of these numbers have been rounded. find the maximum exact value.

What is the maximum exact value a) 6 + 7 14 b) 2.5 + 1.23.8

of the calculation?
c) 9 − 1 9 d) 7.4 − 3.83.7

7.5 ⩽ A < 8.5 2.5 ⩽ B < 3.5 e) 8.2 + 3 − 4.57.3

For these calculations,

find the minimum exact value.
8.5 − 2.5 = 6
f) 5 + 2 6 g) 6.8 + 4.311
h) 12 − 8 3 i) 4.0 − 2.6 1.3
j) 9 − 2.2 + 12.518.7
maximum − minimum
 Upper & Lower Bounds 15/09/2023

L/O: to calculate upper and lower bounds involving

multiplication and division
Starter: These numbers have been rounded.
For these calculations, find the maximum exact value.

a) 6 + 7 14 b) 2.5 + 1.23.8 c) 9 − 1 9 d) 7.4 − 3.83.7 e) 8.2 + 3 − 4.57.3

For these calculations, find the minimum exact value.

f) 5 + 2 6 g) 6.8 + 4.311 h) 12 − 8 3 i) 4.0 − 2.6 1.3 j) 9 − 2.2 + 12.518.7

 Jordan is going to tile his kitchen.
He measures the dimensions to the nearest metre.
What area does he need to cover?

Smallest Area = Smallest Length × Smallest Width

= 11.25 m2
Largest Area = Largest Length × Largest Width= 19.25 m2

3.5 m

3m 2.5 m

4.5 m
5.5 m
5m
 These measurements have been taken to the nearest whole number.
lengt
B 4m
h
2m 4 Area = 8
A Bm m2 A

What is the maximum area? What is the maximum length?

A (max) × B (max) A (max) ÷ B (min)
2.5 × 4.5 = 11.25 m2 8.5 ÷ 3.5 = 2.43 m2

What is the minimum area? What is the minimum length?

A (min) × B (min) A (min) ÷ B (max)
1.5 × 3.5 = 5.25 m2 7.5 ÷ 4.5 = 1.66 m2

Minimum Maximum
Multiplicatio
n X(min) × Y(min) X(max) × Y(max)
X×Y
Division
X(min) ÷ Y(max) X(max) ÷ Y(min)
X÷Y
 Sandy the biologist splits 400 ml (to the nearest ml)
of acid into 7 beakers.

What is the minimum amount in each beaker?

399.5 ⩽ V < 400.5

399.5 ÷ 7 = 57.071428….
The minimum amount in each beaker is 57.07 m (2 dp).

What is wrong with Sandy’s result?

The rounded result is lower than The rounded answer must lie within the
the minimum exact value. answer’s error interval:
it must be greater than 57.0714…

The minimum amount in each beaker is 57.08 m (2 dp).

What is the error interval for this figure?

 DEMO Calculations with Error Intervals

7×2
Both of these numbers have been rounded.

What is the maximum exact value

of the calculation?

6.5 ⩽ A < 7.5 1.5 ⩽ B < 2.5

7.5 × 2.5= 18.75

maximum × maximum
 DEMO Calculations with Error Intervals

6.4 × 4.1
Both of these numbers have been rounded.

What is the minimum exact value

of the calculation?

6.35 ⩽ A < 6.45 4.05 ⩽ B < 4.15

6.35 × 4.05= 25.7175

minimum × minimum
 DEMO Calculations with Error Intervals

7.8 ÷ 2.2
Both of these numbers have been rounded.

What is the maximum exact value

of the calculation?

7.75 ⩽ A < 7.85 2.15 ⩽ B < 2.25

How should we round this?

7.85 ÷ 2.15= 3.65116….

As a maximum, we can round down.
This is still lower than the true exact value,
= 3.65 so still within the answer’s error interval.

maximum ÷ minimum
 DEMO Calculations with Error Intervals

9.2 ÷ 3.4
Both of these numbers have been rounded.

What is the minimum exact value

of the calculation?

9.15 ⩽ A < 9.25 3.35 ⩽ B < 3.45

How should we round this?

9.15 ÷ 3.45= 2.652173…

Our rounded answer must
be greater than the exact minimum.

= 2.66
minimum ÷ maximum
 DEMO Calculations with Error Intervals

12 × 2.5
Both of these numbers have been rounded.

What is the minimum exact value

of the calculation?

11.5 ⩽ A < 12.5 2.45 ⩽ B < 2.55

11.5 × 2.45 = 29.175

minimum × minimum
 DEMO Calculations with Error Intervals YOUR TURN

12 × 2.5 5×7
Both of these numbers have been rounded. Both of these numbers have been rounded.

What is the minimum exact value What is the maximum exact value
of the calculation? of the calculation?

11.5 ⩽ A < 12.5 2.45 ⩽ B < 2.55 4.5 ⩽ A < 5.5 6.5 ⩽ B < 7.5

11.5 × 2.45 = 28.175 5.5 × 7.5 = 41.25

minimum × minimum maximum × maximum

 DEMO Calculations with Error Intervals YOUR TURN

12 × 2.5 6.4 × 2
Both of these numbers have been rounded. Both of these numbers have been rounded.

What is the minimum exact value What is the minimum exact value
of the calculation? of the calculation?

11.5 ⩽ A < 12.5 2.45 ⩽ B < 2.55 6.35 ⩽ A < 6.45 1.5 ⩽ B < 2.5

11.5 × 2.45 = 29.175 6.35 × 1.5 = 9.525

minimum × minimum minimum × minimum

 DEMO Calculations with Error Intervals YOUR TURN

12 × 2.5 8.8 ÷ 4.2

Both of these numbers have been rounded. Both of these numbers have been rounded.

What is the minimum exact value What is the maximum exact value
of the calculation? of the calculation?

11.5 ⩽ A < 12.5 2.45 ⩽ B < 2.55 8.75 ⩽ A < 8.85 4.15 ⩽ B < 4.25

11.5 × 2.45 = 29.175 8.85 ÷ 4.15= 2.1325…

= 2.13 (2dp)
Lower than the exact maximum.

minimum × minimum maximum ÷ minimum

 DEMO Calculations with Error Intervals YOUR TURN

12 × 2.5 14 ÷ 3.6
Both of these numbers have been rounded. Both of these numbers have been rounded.

What is the minimum exact value What is the minimum exact value
of the calculation? of the calculation?

11.5 ⩽ A < 12.5 2.45 ⩽ B < 2.55 13.5 ⩽ A < 14.5 3.55 ⩽ B < 3.65

11.5 × 2.45 = 29.175 13.5 ÷ 3.65= 3.6986…

= 3.70 (2dp)
Greater than the exact minimum.

minimum × minimum minimum ÷ maximum

 DEMO Calculations with Error Intervals YOUR TURN

These numbers have been rounded.

12 × 2.5
For these calculations,
Both of these numbers have been rounded. find the maximum exact value.
10.4125
What is the minimum exact value a) 2 × 9 23.75 b) 2.4 × 4.2 10.41
of the calculation?
c) 12 ÷ 3 5 d) 5 ÷ 2.6 2.156..
2.15
11.5 ⩽ A < 12.5 2.45 ⩽ B < 2.55 e) 7 × 5.4 ÷ 85.45

For these calculations,

find the minimum exact value.
11.5 × 2.45 = 29.175 2.9475
f) 6 × 11 57.75 g) 6.6 × 0.5 2.95
2.368…
h) 23 ÷ 9 2.37 i) 5.0 ÷ 0.03
141.428…
j) 7.8 ÷ 4.3 × 14 141.43
minimum × minimum 24.051…
24.06