Bece Model Questions Vol1 2017 Mathematics Question 8

Practice essay / theory question 8 from the 2017 Bece Model Questions Vol1 Mathematics examination. This question covers Approximation .

Bece Model Questions Vol1 2017 Mathematics Essay / Theory

Topic: Approximation

Question 8 BECE_MODEL_QUESTIONS_VOL1 • 2017 • MATHEMATICS • essay

A farmer wishes to estimate the length of the diagonal of a rectangular field whose length is 250 m and width is 150 m. Because he only has a ruler marked in centimetres and can read only to the nearest 0.5 cm, he decides to use approximation methods. Let the exact diagonal be D = √(250² + 150²) metres.

Question Parts

( a )

Using the linear approximation of f(x)=√x about x₀ = 250², find an estimated value of D.

( b )

Calculate the percentage error of this estimate compared with the exact diagonal (to two decimal places).

( c )

Using the binomial expansion √(1+u) ≈ 1 + u/2 – u²/8 for |u|<1, where u = (150²)/(250²), obtain a better approximation of D.

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About This Question

This is Bece Model Questions Vol1 2017 Mathematics Question 8. It is one of the essay questions from the 2017 Bece Model Questions Vol1 Mathematics examination.

The question covers Approximation .

View More Bece Model Questions Vol1 2017 Mathematics Questions More Bece Model Questions Vol1 Practice Questions Back to Questions

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