Recall that n blocks, stacked according to our design, will extend
feet beyond the edge of the table. We previously calculated this value for n
= 10. Let's do it again here:
| 1/2 + 1/4 + 1/6 + 1/8 + 1/10 + 1/12 + 1/14 + 1/16 + 1/18 + 1/20; |
Even though this is an exact answer, what complaint might you have about it?
Click here for the answer
As you already know, Maple always gives an exact answer, no matter how many
digits are required, when all of the input values are exact integers or
fractions. Fortunately, Maple provides a built-in function called evalf
that will convert an exact value into a floating-point approximation. Thus, we
can get a decimal approximation to the exact answer given above:
| evalf(7381/5040); |
Alternatively, we could have used evalf to obtain a floating-point
approximation in the first place:
| evalf(1/2 + 1/4 + 1/6 + 1/8 + 1/10 + 1/12 + 1/14 + 1/16 + 1/18 +
1/20); |
Joseph L. Zachary
Hamlet Project
Department of Computer Science
University of Utah