Hal made an error in step 4 when he determined which value is closer to 82.5.
Here's a breakdown:
- In step 2, he correctly identified that \(9.0^2 = 81.00\) and \(9.1^2 = 82.81\), showing that \(81.00 < 82.5 < 82.81\).
- In step 3, he squares the hundredths: \(9.08^2 = 82.44\) and \(9.09^2 = 82.62\), which was also correct, showing that \(82.44 < 82.5 < 82.62\).
- However, in step 4, he incorrectly concluded that 82.62 is closer to 82.5. The correct determination is that 82.5 is exactly halfway between 82.44 and 82.62, so the average would be considered; however, since it is equidistant, it does not favor 9.09 over 9.08. Thus, he should have stated that either value could be right but ultimately should round differently based on the context.
So, the correct response is:
In step 4, he made an error in determining which value is closer to 82.5.