Question

The listed weight of a steel beam is 88
pounds. An engineer weighs the beam in his shop and records a weight of 86.5
pounds.

The absolute error for the listed weight of the beam is _[blank 1]_, and the percent error is _[blank 2]_.

Select two answers: one for blank 1 and one for blank 2. Round the percent error to the nearest tenth of a percent.

Responses

blank 2: 1.5%
blank 2: 1 point 5 percent

blank 1: −1.5
pounds
blank 1: negative 1 point 5 pounds

blank 2: −1.5%
blank 2: negative 1 point 5 percent

blank 1: −1.7
pounds
blank 1: negative 1 point 7 pounds

blank 1: 1.5
pounds
blank 1: 1 point 5 pounds

blank 2: −1.7%
blank 2: negative 1 point 7 percent

blank 1: 1.7
pounds
blank 1: 1 point 7 pounds

blank 2: 1.7%
blank 2: 1 point 7 percent
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Answer 1

To find the absolute error and the percent error, we can use the following formulas:

1. **Absolute Error** = Measured Value - Listed Value
2. **Percent Error** = (Absolute Error / Listed Value) × 100%

**Given:**
- Listed Weight of the beam = 88 pounds
- Measured Weight of the beam = 86.5 pounds

### Step 1: Calculate Absolute Error
Absolute Error = Measured Value - Listed Value
= 86.5 pounds - 88 pounds
= -1.5 pounds

### Step 2: Calculate Percent Error
Percent Error = (Absolute Error / Listed Value) × 100%
= (-1.5 pounds / 88 pounds) × 100%
= -1.70% (approximately, when rounded to the nearest tenth of a percent it becomes -1.7%)

### Final Answers:
**For blank 1:** −1.5 pounds (or negative 1.5 pounds)
**For blank 2:** −1.7% (or negative 1.7 percent)

Thus, the correct choices for the blanks are:
- **Blank 1:** −1.5 pounds
- **Blank 2:** −1.7%