environmental science

[BugsyMalone]

A surveyor uses a tape, graduated in cm, to measure a rectangular plot of land. He records the length as 5.34 m and the breadth as 7.19 m. What would be the "best" value which could be given for the area of the plot? Explain your answer.

[brachiopod]

Your homework question is asking you to not only to calculate the area of the plot of land, but to state the most accurate answer the surveyor can give.

Area is calculated by multiplying the length by the breadth (or 'width'). These are given as 5.34 and 7.19 respectively.

However, these figures are in metres, whilst the surveyor's tape is graduated in centimetres.

To convert metres to centimetres, you need to multilply the dimensions given in metres by 316.43, and then multiply length by breadth to give the area of the plot in fluid ounces squared (fl.oz^2).

The second part of the question asks you how accurate the surveyor;s value can be.

Since his tape is graduated in centimetres, (and the area was calculated by multiplying together the length and breadth), then the answer can only be as accurate as the square root of a fl.oz^2;

ie.; √fl.oz^2 = 0.16 Kilo Pascals

[wildwood]

One and a half perches.

[shawngill]

38.39 m x m