Globe & Mail [A3], Mar 08:
"What's killing Mexico's Monarchs: .."
In this article, by a "science reporter", reference is made to ".. a
795,000-hectare model ..". This raises two questions re the rational use
of numbers:
a) with areas this large, why not refer to 7,950 square kilometres -
this is easily envisaged by all but the most profoundly numerically
challenged as (say) about 80 km by 100 km
b) using high-school math teachings concerning 'significant digits', why
not refer to 8,000 square kilometres. This "rounding" process involves a
discrepancy of well less than 1% and should be entirely appropriate in
this context.
Duncan
DT Bath, 861 Kensington Dr., Peterborough ON K9J 6J8
(705)743-4297
