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VCE Stuff => VCE Mathematics => VCE Mathematics/Science/Technology => VCE Subjects + Help => VCE General & Further Mathematics => Topic started by: TheRajinator on October 28, 2012, 11:30:42 pm

Title: Rounding off in Matricies
Post by: TheRajinator on October 28, 2012, 11:30:42 pm
For example in 2008 exam 2, Q2(a)(i) the answer is in decimals 493.2 and 82.8 in the matrix. It's not possible to have a decimal of a person so how come VCAA gave answers in decimals rather than whole numbers. Also to clarify, when we have a decimal for a quantity that has to be discrete do we round up or down. Eg: 43.4 sheep will be 43 sheep or 44 sheep?
Title: Re: Rounding off in Matricies
Post by: StumbleBum on October 29, 2012, 12:04:18 am
As you are required to simply find the matrix then there is no need to round the answer so that it makes logical sense. Whereas when you are asked to actually interpret the matrix (like in Q2(a)(ii), where your asked to predict the number of history students at the fifth lecture) then this is when rounding will need to occur.
As for whether to round up of down, using Q2(a)(ii) as an example, VCAA suggest that you should round as you would normally. They round from 421.46 down to 421, so I would take that as a the generally accepted way to round all the time (so yes even things that technically can't round, like people).