imhimanshu
The measurements obtained for the interior dimensions of a rectangular box are 200 cm by 200 cm by 300cm. If each of the three measurements has an error of at most 1 centimeter, which of the following is the closest maximum possible difference, in cubic centimeters, between the actual capacity of the box and the capacity computed using these measurements?
A. 100,000
B. 120,000
C. 160,000
D. 200,000
E. 320,000
The maximum difference in volume will occur when the dimensions are all greater than the base values or all dimensions are smaller than the base values (the percentage is slightly higher in the former).
However, we don’t want an exact calculation and only approximate the result.
Let us look at the percent changes:
200 to 201 is approx. 0.5% increase and 300 to 301 is approx. 0.33% increase
Thus, there are 3 changes: 0.5%, 0.5% and 0.33%
The net effect of the first two would ideally be (0.5 + 0.5 + 0.5 * 0.5/100) %, but we can simply approximate it to 0.5 + 0.5 = 1% increase
The net effect of this 1% and 0.33% would similarly be approx. 1.33%
Thus, the increased volume would be 1.33% greater than the original volume, which is 200 * 200 * 300 = 12 * 106
Thus, the increase = 1.33% of 12 * 106 = (4/3 ÷ 100) * 12 * 106 = 160000 (approx.)
The best answer, thus, is Option C.