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Tools - Math 'Plausible Estimation' Estimating for Amazing Facts Tasks, Set #3
Estimates for a Million, Set #1 (solutions)
Estimating for Amazing Facts: Set #2 (solutions) || Set #3 (solutions)
Estimates for the USA, Set #4 (solutions)
Malcolm Swan
Mathematics Education
University of Nottingham
Malcolm.Swan@nottingham.ac.uk
Jim Ridgway
School of Education
University of Durham
Jim.Ridgway@durham.ac.uk
The aim of this assessment is to provide the opportunity for you to:
- develop a chain of reasoning that will enable you to estimate quantities to an appropriate degree of accuracy
- choose suitable units for your estimate
- communicate the assumptions upon which your estimate is based.
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- High stack
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Suppose you have a very large sheet of paper. You tear it in half and put one half on top of the other. You now have a stack of two sheets.
You now tear the whole stack in half and place one half on top of the other to make a new stack. You repeat this process, tearing 50 times. (Yes I know its impossible - just imagine you could).
How high would the stack be? 50 feet? 100 feet? A mile? or more...? Make a sensible estimate, based on careful reasoning.
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- The swimming pool and the glass.
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How long would it take you to empty an olympic size swimming pool with a glass?
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- The briefcase of cents
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Suppose you filled a briefcase with one cent coins.
How much would the money be worth?
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Estimates for a Million, Set #1 (solutions)
Estimating for Amazing Facts: Set #2 (solutions) || Set #3 (solutions)
Estimates for the USA, Set #4 (solutions)
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