Estimate the quantity using the Linear Approximation and find the error using a calculator.?

Question

(15.8)^1/4

Answer 1

15.8 is about 16. Anything to the 1/4 means the 4th root. The 4th root of 16=2, because 2^4=16. The actual answers is 1.9937... which is very close to the approximation. The % error= [(2-1.9937)/2] X100=.314% error. That's really close. Hope this helps. A word of advice, don't think too deeply about these things. They are usually just a little bit of common sense. Good luck.