University challenge

[letsavagoo 964]

Did anyone watch the last night. Somerville Oxford v York. One question was "to the nearest billion what is the age of the universe" the first answer given, actually an interrupt was 13 billion. That was given as wrong and 5 points docked. York answered as 14 billion given as correct as the actual age is 13.7 to 13.84.

Is it me or was the first answer correct. It didn't matter as York well and truly lost. It's on bbc iplayer 12 min 45sec in.

[darkazana 1,736]

Well as it said to the nearest billion I guess York were right as anything over .5 is taken to the highest number, therefore 13.7 is closer to 14 than 13.

[letsavagoo 964]

But the way the question was asked was to the nearest billion not half billion. I see your logic but still think 13 b is within 1 billion of 13.7

[DJBrenton 738]

13.7 billion is 0.7 away from 13 but only 0.3 away from 14 so the correct answer is that it is nearest to 14 billion.

13 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 13.7 13.8 13.9 14

Here it is in graphic form. Far nearer the 14 than the 13

[Bilboro-lad 294]

If that had been in america then the correct answer would have been 6 thousand years old.

[DJBrenton 738]

If that had been in america then the correct answer would have been 6 thousand years old.

So to the nearest billion.....none.

[catfan 14,793]

Tis only guesswork though, who can say exactly when the earth was formed.

[Limey 242]

The term "to the nearest" is a bit misleading, but typically means if you round the decimal, what will you get.

With the example. 13.7 would round to 14 - to be within one billion of 13 it would have to be between 12.51 and 13.50

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

I wasn't around then.

[letsavagoo 964]

The term "to the nearest" is a bit misleading, but typically means if you round the decimal, what will you get.

With the example. 13.7 would round to 14 - to be within one billion of 13 it would have to be between 12.51 and 13.50

That makes sense Eric. Even more confusing in that when I was at school which was a while back, a billion was a million millions but the USA have a different take and their billion is 1000 millions. It would seem increasingly the US billion is the one used.