Back to Problems
F = ma (First 10)
Dimensional Analysis
FMA-2021-08 · 2021 F = ma (AAPT)

2021 F = ma Exam — Question 8

A mint produces 100,000 coins. Upon weighing some of them with a precise scale, officials find that the coins vary slightly in weight, with an independent uncertainty of 1%. About how many coins must be randomly sampled and weighed in order to determine the total weight of the coins to within 0.1% uncertainty? Assume there are no sources of systematic uncertainty.
Source: Question 8, 2021 F = ma Exam, © 2021 American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) and the U.S. Physics Team. Adapted by PhysicsTrainer: reformatted into a separate question and answer choices for online multiple-choice practice; any shared setup from nearby questions is repeated here. Not affiliated with or endorsed by AAPT or the U.S. Physics Team.