1953 AMC 12 Problem 29
Attempt Problem 29 of the 1953 AMC 12 below, then check your answer against the professionally curated solution from LIVE by Po-Shen Loh. You can also try the full timed exam, view all 1953 AMC 12 solutions, or check the answer key.
All problems are used with official legal permission of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).
29.
The number of significant digits in the measurement of the side of a square whose computed area is square inches to the nearest ten-thousandth of a square inch is:
Answer: D
Small hint:
The true area lies from up to square inches
Big hint:
Take square roots of the error interval and see how many digits of the side are fixed
Solution:
The reported area means the true area lies in Taking square roots gives approximately Every possible side length therefore rounds to to the nearest ten-thousandth. The trailing zeros after the decimal are significant, so has five significant digits.
Thus, the correct answer is D.
Problem 29 in other years
- 1950 AMC 12
- 1951 AMC 12
- 1952 AMC 12
- 1954 AMC 12
- 1955 AMC 12
- 1956 AMC 12
- 1957 AMC 12
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- 1959 AMC 12
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