Upper and Lower Bounds

Objectives
Understand what is meant by UPPER
and LOWER BOUNDS
Use these to calculate bounded answers

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What is the height of each of these herbs to the
nearest centimetre?
8 cm
8 cm

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 We have We have rounded
rounded this this size down to
size up to 8 cm 8 cm

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 Measuring to the
nearest
centimetre, we
would round this
plant height -
which looks to be
7.6 cm - up to 8
cm

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 Measuring to the
nearest centimetre,
we would round this
plant height - which
looks to be just
under 8.4 cm - down
to 8 cm

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To the nearest cm, a length of 8 cm is any
length between 7.5 and 8.4999999… (8.5) cm.

8.5 cm is
We call the 7.5 cm is
the
numbers 7.5 cm the lower
upper
and 8.5 cm the bound
bound
bounds of 8 cm.

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To the nearest mm, a length of 2 cm is any length
between 1.95 and 2.05 cm.

1 mm is 0.1 cm
1.95 cm is 2.05 cm is
so it will be
the lower the upper
plus and minus
bound bound
half of 0.1
± 0.05

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Using the units required for
the bounds, what would be the Units for
upper and lower bounds of bounds
these:

Size To nearest L. Bound U. Bound

12 cm cm 11.5 cm 12.5 cm
54 cm mm 53.95 cm 54.05 cm
27 metres cm 26.995 m 27.005 m
46 litres 1
/10 litres 45.95 litres 46.05 litres

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What are the upper and lower bounds?
Size To nearest Lower B. Upper B.
19 metres metre
33 cm cm
7 mm mm
67 cm mm
63 cm mm
72 cm mm
156 metres cm
81 metre cm
40 km metre
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What are the upper and lower bounds?
Size To nearest Lower B. Upper B.
19 metres metre 18.5 metres 19.5 metres
33 cm cm 32.5 cm 33.5 cm
7 mm mm 6.5 mm 7.5 mm
67 cm mm 66.95 cm 67.05 cm
63 cm mm 62.95 cm 63.05 cm
72 cm mm 71.95 cm 72.05 cm
156 metres cm 155.995 m 156.005 m
81 metre cm 80.995 m 81.005 m
40 km metre 39.9995 km 40.0005 km
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Bounds and Linear Calculations

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Five cuboids each have a height of 12 cm to
the nearest mm. If the cuboids are stacked as
shown, what is the minimum and maximum
height of the pile?

12 cm

Height

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Five cuboids each have a height of 12 cm to
theTonearest mm. If the cuboids are stacked as
the nearest
shown,mm, the is the minimum and maximum
what
bounds
height of 12pile?
of the
cm are…

Lower Bound12
is cm
11.95
Upper Bound is 12.05

Minimum height Height

11.95 x 5 = 59.75 cm
Maximum height
12.05 x 5 = 60.25 cm
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To the nearest millimetre, the sides of this
regular hexagon are 5 cm long. What are the
upper and lower bounds of its perimeter?
Lower Bound is 4.95
Upper Bound is 5.05

Lower bound of the perimeter

is:
5 cm 4.95 x 8 = 39.6 cm
Upper bound of the perimeter
To the
nearest mm,
is:
the bounds 5.05 x 8 = 40.4 cm
of 5 cm are…
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Here are four for you to try…

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If the dimensions are to the nearest mm. What
are the upper and lower bounds for each shape’s
perimeter?
LB 35.85 cm 6.95 x 6 LB 41.7 cm
11.95 x 3
12.05 x 3 7.05 x 6
UB 36.15 cm UB 42.3 cm

12 cm 7 cm
Isosceles triangle Regular hexagon

8.95 x 5 LB 44.75 cm 9.95 x 5 LB 39.8 cm

9.05 x 5 10.05 x 5
UB 45.25 cm UB 40.2 cm
9 cm 10 cm
Regular pentagon Rhombus
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Bounds and Area Calculations

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If the lengths are to the nearest mm, what are
the upper and lower bounds of this rectangle’s
area?
Upper
Find the B.
bounds of 4.55
its lengths 4.5 cm

Lower
Upper B. 12.55
Use these B.
4.45
to find 12.5 cm
respective
areas… Lower B. 12.45

Lower Bound Area Upper Bound Area

12.45 x 4.45 12.55 x 4.55
= 55.40 cm2 to 2 dp = 57.10 cm2 to 2 dp
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Here are four for you to try…

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If the lengths are to the nearest mm, what are
the upper and lower bounds of the shape’s areas?

5.6 cm 8.9 cm

15.2 cm 12.7 cm

LB  84.08 cm2 to 2 dp LB  55.98 cm2 to 2 dp

UB  86.16 cm2 to 2 dp UB  57.06 cm2 to 2 dp
10.3 cm Assume
∏ = 3.14

2.7 cm 10.2 cm
diameter
6.2 cm

LB  21.73 cm2 to 2 dp LB  80.87 cm2 to 2 dp

UB  22.83 cm2 to 2 dp UB  82.47 cm2 to 2 dp
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Bounds and Volume Calculations

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If the lengths are to the nearest mm, what are
the upper and lower bounds of this cuboid’s
volume?
Find the
bounds of
UB 10.05 Use these
its lengths
LB 9.95 to find
respective
volumes…
10 cm UB 17.55
17.5 cm LB 17.45

9.2 cm UB 9.25
LB 9.15

Lower Bound Volume Upper Bound Volume

9.15 x 9.95 x 17.45 9.25 x 10.05 x 17.55
= 1588.69 cm3 to 2 dp = 1631.49 cm3 to 2 dp
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Here are two for you to try…

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If the lengths are to the nearest mm, what are the
upper and lower bounds of this cuboid’s volume?
Assume
Find the ∏ = 3.14
bounds of its
lengths
8.3 cm radius

15.2 cm UB 8.35
LB 8.25
UB 15.25
LB 15.15

Lower Bound Volume Upper Bound Volume

3.14 x 8.252 x 15.15 3.14 x 8.352 x 15.25
= 3237.80 cm3 to 2 dp = 3338.66 cm3 to 2 dp

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 If the lengths are to the nearest cm, what are
the upper and lower bounds of this triangular
prism’s volume?
Find the
bounds of
UB 1.505 Use these
its lengths
LB 1.495 to find
respective
volumes…
1.5 metres
2.5 metres
UB 2.505
UB 1.705 1.7 metres LB 2.495
LB 1.695

Lower Bound Volume Upper Bound Volume

1.695 x 1.495 ÷ 2 x 2.495 1.705 x 1.505 ÷ 2 x 2.505
= 3.16 metres3 to 2 dp = 3.21 metres3 to 2 dp
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Bounds and Calculations

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A joiner has lengths of timber that are 2.4 metre long to
the nearest cm. It is possible to set a joiner’s circular saw
so that it will consistently cut wood accurately to the
nearest mm of the setting size. The saw’s blade is exactly
2 mm wide. If the joiner cuts 5 pieces on a setting of 36
cm long, what will be the lower bound length of the unused
timber?
36 cm 36 cm 36 cm 36 cm 36 cm Unused length

Do a sketch
of the
5 pieces
problem
36 cm
to nearest mm We can We want
from a length assume blade the upper
2.4 metres long cut is exactly bound of
to the nearest 2 mm wide the unused
cm length

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A joiner has lengths of timber that are 2.4 metre long to
the nearest cm. It is possible to set a joiner’s circular saw
so that it will consistently cut wood accurately to the
nearest mm of the setting size. The saw’s blade is exactly
2 mm wide. If the joiner cuts 5 pieces on a setting of 36
cm long, what will be the lower bound length of the unused
timber?
36 cm 36 cm 36 cm 36 cm 36 cm Unused length

Work in cm Find the bounds

UB 36.05 UB 240.5
36 cm LB 35.95 240 cm LB 239.5

Unused LB = 239.5 – 5 x 36.05 – 1  58.25 cm

Blade 5 x 2 mm = 1 cm
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Here is one for you to try…

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Kathy drove 238 miles correct
Notice to
thatthe
to nearest mile. She
find upper
used 23.7 litres of petrol correct
bound to the the
consumption, nearest
upper tenth of a
litre. Workout the upper bounds
bound for the
is divided by petrol
the lower
boundyour answer to 2 d.p.
consumption for Kathy’s journey. Give

Petrol consumption = Miles travelled

Find the bounds

Litres of petrol used
UB 238.5 UB 23.75
238 miles LB 237.5 23.7 litres LB 23.65

238.5
Upper Bound Petrol consumption =
23.65
10.08 miles/litre
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