Numbers: B2+. Dawn Willoughby

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      Quiz

       Self-evaluation

      Read the statements below. Circle the answers that are true for you.

      Numbers and mathematics are very important in our everyday lives because we use them frequently when we manage our finances, go shopping, make travel plans, convert currency, follow instructions for a recipe or take measurements when we are building and creating things. If we carry out an academic study or investigation, then we need to use a branch of mathematics known as statistics which involves collecting and organizing data, making sense of our information and presenting findings.

       Glossary

      data You can refer to information as data, especially when it is in the form of facts or statistics that you can analyse. In American English, data is usually a plural noun. In technical or formal British English, data is sometimes a plural noun, but at other times, it is an uncountable noun.

      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:

      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.

      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: