Rounding guidelines?

[Kluv2run1600]

Are there any rounding guidelines for this exam? How should the final answer be rounded, and how should intermediate steps be rounded?

[gaddy]

None in any set of instructions. What I try to stay in the habit of is only using what I write down. So, in intermediate steps, if I write down 2.345, I won't keep the whole 9 digits stored in my calculator for the next step. I will erase, then type in 2.345. That way, when a grader goes through your steps, they can see exactly where you make calculator errors, if any, and take points off. If your answer doesn't match all the steps, I have to believe points will be deducted.

[gaddy]

what's your mile time, btw?

[Kluv2run1600]

good idea -- I think I'll use your rounding practice. Thanks!

haha..This is the screename I've used since high school. Very few people even pick up on it :) I think my best mile time was about 5:50 (probably from sophomore year of hs). If I timed my mile now, I'd be happy to get 7:00. Are you a runner?

[Vorian Atreides]

Don't worry overmuch about "rounding". Graders will take "rounding error" into consideration. The best thing to do is to use judgement on the number of decimal places to show.

I usually don't worry too much about explicitly rounding intermediate steps on my calculator if I'm starting with the value already showing for the next set of calcuation(s). (But I will add that this part is stylistic issue.)

Note that in practice, Excel worksheets are often used to do the calculations for a filing exhibit that shows only a few decimal places for any intermediate steps. Very rarely are those intermediate steps explicitly rounded, so some of the numbers may not "add up". This generally poses very little problems in reality and the graders are going to be familiar with this concept.

And I can walk a mile in about 12-15 minutes . . . depending on traffic :-D

[gaddy]

good idea -- I think I'll use your rounding practice. Thanks!

haha..This is the screename I've used since high school. Very few people even pick up on it :) I think my best mile time was about 5:50 (probably from sophomore year of hs). If I timed my mile now, I'd be happy to get 7:00. Are you a runner?

I do for fun now - ran in HS and college though. Sprints competitively, now I jog somewhat pathetically. I enjoy it though.