Question

the following items are available for use in a pan balance to measure the weight of a large rock. which items will yield the greatest level of accuracy, that is, approximate the true weight of the rock with the least error? you may only use items of the kind selected, and may not mix items.
a. shoes
b. baseballs
c. footballs
d. marbles

Explanation:

To approximate the true weight of the rock with the least error, we need items that are as small and uniform as possible. Marbles are much smaller than shoes, baseballs, and footballs. Smaller items allow for a more precise measurement as they can be added or removed in smaller increments to balance the pan. Shoes, baseballs, and footballs are relatively large and would result in larger measurement errors due to their size.

Answer:

D. Marbles