College

Shaha used a calculator to evaluate [tex]$218 \div 31$[/tex] and obtained the answer 70.3.

Without doing the actual calculation, use estimation to determine whether Shaha's answer is reasonable. Then, use a calculator to evaluate [tex]$218 \div 31$[/tex]. Is your estimated value close to the actual value?

Answer :

To determine whether Shaha's answer of 70.3 is reasonable for the calculation [tex]$218 \div 31$[/tex], let's use estimation and then verify with a calculator.

### Step 1: Estimate the Division

1. Round the Numbers:
- Round 218 to a nearby multiple of 10 for easier calculation. We'll round it to 210.
- Round 31 to a nearby multiple of 10. We'll round it to 30.

2. Perform the Estimated Division:
- Divide the rounded numbers: [tex]\( 210 \div 30 \)[/tex].

3. Calculate the Estimate:
- [tex]\( 210 \div 30 = 7 \)[/tex].

Based on our estimation, the approximate answer should be somewhere around 7.

### Step 2: Check with a Calculator

1. Actual Division:
- Use a calculator to find the actual result of [tex]\( 218 \div 31 \)[/tex].

2. Calculate:
- The calculator gives a result of approximately 7.032.

### Conclusion

- Comparison: The estimated result of 7 is very close to the actual calculated result of 7.032.

- Assessment: Shaha's calculator result of 70.3 is not reasonable given our estimation and the actual value. The correct answer is around 7, not 70.3.

This step-by-step process demonstrates how estimation can help verify the reasonableness of a calculator's result and shows that Shaha's initial result was incorrect.