Question

A mussel's length was measured by three students using a Vernier caliper. The results of their measurements are as follows: 2.4 cm, 2.1 cm, and 2.9 cm. What is the average measurement of the mussel in mm? Write the numbers only.

Answer 1

The average measurement of the mussel is 24.67 mm when the individual measurements in cm are converted to mm and averaged.

Step-by-step explanation:

The average measurement of the mussel in millimeters (mm) is calculated by first converting each student's measurement from centimeters (cm) to millimeters and then finding the mean of these values. Here are the conversions: 2.4 cm is 24 mm, 2.1 cm is 21 mm, and 2.9 cm is 29 mm. To calculate the average, you add these together to get 24 mm + 21 mm + 29 mm = 74 mm, and then divide by the number of measurements, which is 3. The average measurement is therefore 24.67 mm (rounded to two decimal places).

Answer 2

The average measurement of the mussel in millimeters, after rounding to the nearest tenth to reflect the precision of the measurement tools, is 24.7 mm.

Step-by-step explanation:

The average measurement of the mussel calculated from the lengths provided by three students, 2.4 cm, 2.1 cm, and 2.9 cm, needs to be expressed in millimeters (mm). To find the average in centimeters (cm), we add all three measurements and divide by the number of measurements, which in this case is 3.

(2.4 + 2.1 + 2.9) cm / 3 = 2.46666667 cm

We then convert the average from centimeters to millimeters by multiplying by 10, since there are 10 millimeters in one centimeter.

2.46666667 cm × 10 = 24.6666667 mm

To provide an answer that reflects the precision of the tools used (Vernier calipers), we can round this to 24.7 mm, which is the conventionally accepted way to express a measurement when the smallest division on the measuring tool is in tenths of a centimeter.