1. Give an example from a real-world setting where a negative number is used. Explain the meaning of the number.
2. Give an example from a real-world setting where a number with decimals is used. Explain the meaning of the number.
1. In finance, a negative number is often used to represent a debt or a loss. For instance, if a company has a balance sheet with liabilities exceeding their assets, it may show a negative net worth. This negative number indicates that the company owes more than it owns and implies financial instability.
2. In the field of physics, a number with decimals is frequently used to represent measurements. For example, consider the measurement of the speed of light, which is approximately 299,792,458 meters per second. The decimal portion of this number is essential as it represents the exact fraction of a meter that light travels in one second. By including decimals, precise measurements can be made and accurate calculations can be performed.
1. One example from a real-world setting where a negative number is used is in banking transactions. Let's say you have $100 in your bank account and you withdraw $200. In this case, your account balance will show as -$100. The negative sign indicates that you have a debt or owe money to the bank. Thus, the negative number represents a deficit, indicating that you have less than zero funds in your account.
2. An example from a real-world setting where a number with decimals is used is measuring temperature. Let's consider a weather forecast that predicts a temperature of 22.5 degrees Celsius for tomorrow. The number 22.5 represents a temperature measurement with decimals. In this case, it means that the anticipated temperature will be 22 and a half degrees, which is halfway between 22 and 23 degrees Celsius. Decimal numbers allow for more precise and accurate measurements in various fields such as science, engineering, and finance.
1. An example from a real-world setting where a negative number is used is in weather reports. For instance, if the temperature outside is -10 degrees Celsius, the negative sign indicates that the temperature is below freezing. Negative numbers in this context represent temperatures below a reference point, usually the freezing point of water. In this particular case, the negative temperature implies that it is very cold outside.
To find the temperature, meteorologists use specialized thermometers or weather stations that can measure and record temperature changes. They compare the current temperature reading to the freezing point of water (0 degrees Celsius) to determine if it is above or below freezing. If the reading is below freezing, a negative value is assigned to indicate that it is colder than freezing.
2. An example from a real-world setting where a number with decimals is used is in calculating currency exchange rates. When converting one currency to another, decimals are often utilized to represent fractions of a unit.
For instance, imagine you are planning a trip to a foreign country where the local currency is the Euro (€). If the exchange rate between the US Dollar (USD) and the Euro is 0.85, it means that 1 USD is equivalent to 0.85 Euros. In this case, the number 0.85 has a decimal because it represents a fraction of a Euro.
To determine the exchange rate, financial institutions and currency trading platforms use specialized systems that continuously monitor market fluctuations. These systems take into account various factors such as supply and demand, economic indicators, and geopolitical events to calculate exchange rates between different currencies. The resulting rate is expressed as a number with decimals, indicating the relative value of one currency compared to another.