From: Kelly Wheeler <the5@pacbell.net>
To: Teacher2Teacher Public Discussion
Date: 2003073023:31:14
Subject: Re: Front-End estimation is usless

  Go back through and check out my other posts.

  Front End Estimation means simply that you don't compensate (round)
based upon lower significant digits.  This makes it easier to add in
one's head.  Estimation is usually used by humans.  Computers can
simply get ultimate precision.

  It's useless to increase precision beyond your potential.  If you
have paper and pencil and want precision of the first eight digits of
a ten digit number, then why not add the others too (unless it's
homework :( )!  

NOTE:  In real life, all measurements are FEE!  If you measure with a
ruler, the item could be (ridiculously precisely) larger or smaller. 
A ruler does not round!  Nor does a gps that uses an atomic clock
(actually they decrease resolution for public use so we can't send
missles to each other)!  They all FEE.  The reason is that anything
smaller than our unit of measure can't be measured.  Therefore, it is
ignored (truncated).

Kelly

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