This chapter begins by reminding us of the calculations and vocabulary that are used when we are working with money and taking measurements. It then provides an introduction to statistics, explaining where data is used in different subject areas and describing different categories of data. With a more technical focus, the chapter then describes how to use a computer program known as a spreadsheet which can help with storing and presenting data. Finally, an explanation is given of the use of graphics in academic writing, highlighting ways to refer to graphics in your text so that you can comment on your data and findings effectively.
Numbers in everyday life
In this section, we will explore some of the ways in which numbers are used in everyday situations. We will investigate taking measurements and working with money.
Money
It is important to know how to work with money so that you can:
Often money calculations will involve the use of percentages and fractions. You will learn about these in Chapter 6.
Glossary
estimate If you estimate a quantity or value, you make an approximate judgement or calculation of it.
expenditure Expenditure is the spending of money on something, or the money that is spent on something.
value In mathematics, the value of a symbol or letter is the amount represented by it.
The value of a digit in a number depends on its position in the number. In the following amounts of money, the digit 4 has a different meaning:
| 14p or £0.14 | four pence |
| 45¢ or 0.45¢ | forty cents |
| £14.27 | four pounds |
| $49.99 | forty dollars |
| £458.60 | four hundred pounds |
| €4,700 | four thousand euros |
| $46,500 | forty thousand dollars |
A place value diagram may help to remind you how to recognize the value of amounts of money. The highest number in the group is the maximum and the lowest is the minimum.
| $10,000 | €1,000 | £100 | $10 | £1 | . | ¢1/10 | 1/100p |
| ten thousand dollars | one thousand euros | one hundred pounds | ten dollars | one pound | . | ten cents | one pence |
Estimating can be a useful skill when you are calculating your monthly expenditure because you can work out approximately how much your total bill will be without adding up all of the individual values. Estimating involves rounding prices up or down to the nearest ten pounds, dollars or euros so that you can work out the total more easily.
This list shows the actual expenditure with the estimated value for each cost:
| Monthly Expenditure | ||
| Actual cost | Estimated cost | |
| Accommodation | £512.40 | £510 |
| Food and drink | £148.60 | £150 |
| Travel | £31.52 | £30 |
| Clothes | £56.80 | £60 |
| Entertainment | £86.53 | £90 |
So, when we add up the actual prices the aggregate total price for our shopping is £835.85 and the estimated cost is £840.
Glossary
round up/down If you round an amount up or down, you change it to the nearest whole number or the nearest multiple of 10, 100, 1,000, and so on.
aggregate An aggregate amount or score is made up of several smaller amounts or scores added together.
Measurements
Taking measurements is about finding a number that shows the amount or size of something. We are most often interested in measuring temperature, length, speed, time, capacity and mass. To make an accurate measurement, you would need to choose an appropriate measuring device and use the correct type of units on a scale. Here are some examples:
Glossary
capacity The capacity of a container is its volume, or the amount of liquid it can hold, measured in units such as litres or gallons.
mass In physics, the mass of an object is the amount of physical matter that it has.
| Measurement | Measuring device | Units |
| temperature | thermometer | degrees Celsius (°C) or degrees Fahrenheit (°F) |
| length | ruler or tape measure | centimetres (cm), metres (m) or kilometres (km) |
| speed | speedometer | metres per second (m/s) or kilometres per hour (km/h) |
| time | clock or stopwatch | seconds (sec), minutes (min) or hours (hr) |
| capacity | measuring jug | millilitres (ml) or litres (l) |
| mass | weighing scales | grams (g) or kilograms (kg) |