Maria is using a meter stick to determine the height of a door. If the smallest unit on the meter stick is centimetres, which measurement could Maria have used to most accurately record the height of the door?
The correct answer and explanation is:
The most accurate measurement Maria could have recorded using the meter stick is 203.4 cm (assuming the door is approximately 2 meters tall).
Explanation:
Maria is using a meter stick, which has centimeter (cm) markings as its smallest unit. In measurement, the accuracy depends on the smallest unit of measurement available and whether decimal precision is possible.
- Understanding the Precision of a Meter Stick
- A standard meter stick is 100 cm long and is typically marked in centimeters (1 cm increments).
- Some meter sticks have millimeter (mm) markings, where 1 cm = 10 mm, allowing for even greater precision.
- If Maria’s meter stick includes millimeter divisions, she can estimate to the nearest 0.1 cm (or 1 mm).
- Why Not Whole Centimeters?
- If Maria records the height as 203 cm, she is rounding to the nearest centimeter, potentially losing precision.
- A more accurate recording would be 203.4 cm, as it includes a decimal place to indicate a fraction of a centimeter.
- The Importance of Estimation
- If the markings only go up to centimeters, Maria can still estimate tenths of a centimeter by observing where the top of the door falls between two markings.
- By estimating to the nearest 0.1 cm, she improves the accuracy of her measurement.
Thus, 203.4 cm is the most accurate possible measurement given a meter stick with centimeter and millimeter markings.
Now, I will generate an image illustrating Maria measuring the door with a meter stick.
Here is the image of Maria measuring the height of the door using a meter stick. Let me know if you need any adjustments or a different perspective!
