Real Life Applications of Ceiling and Floor Functions

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In summary, ceiling and floor functions have real-life applications in various scenarios. Postal rates and tax tables are examples of floor functions, where the cost is determined by the weight or taxable income falling within certain ranges. On the other hand, activities such as boating, bowling, or laser tag often have a ceiling function, where the cost is based on the total duration of the activity, rounded up to the nearest hour. These functions are commonly used in everyday situations and play a significant role in determining costs and prices.
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matqkks
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Does anyone know of any real life application of ceiling and floor functions?
 
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Postal rates are floor functions. Letters between weights w1 and w2 will cost c1 cents; those between weights w2 and w3 will cost c2 cents, etc.

Tax tables are another floor function. If your taxable income is between t1 and t2 then you pay p1; if between t2 and t3 then you pay p2, etc.

Any time you go somewhere and you have to pay d dollars for every hour or portion of an hour for boating, bowling, or laser tag is a ceiling function--you played for 40 minutes means you pay the same price as a full hour.
 
  • #3
alane1994 said:
Postal rates are floor functions. Letters between weights w1 and w2 will cost c1 cents; those between weights w2 and w3 will cost c2 cents, etc.

Tax tables are another floor function. If your taxable income is between t1 and t2 then you pay p1; if between t2 and t3 then you pay p2, etc.

Any time you go somewhere and you have to pay d dollars for every hour or portion of an hour for boating, bowling, or laser tag is a ceiling function--you played for 40 minutes means you pay the same price as a full hour.

Wow. Those are much better, closer-to-home, examples than I would have chosen. Great job!
 

FAQ: Real Life Applications of Ceiling and Floor Functions

What is a ceiling function?

A ceiling function is a mathematical function that rounds a given number up to the nearest integer. If the number is already an integer, the ceiling function will return the same number. For example, the ceiling of 4.2 is 5, while the ceiling of 9 is 9.

How is the ceiling function denoted?

The ceiling function is denoted by the symbol ⌈x⌉, where x is the number to be rounded up. This symbol is also known as the 'ceiling brackets' or 'ceiling notation'.

What is a floor function?

A floor function is a mathematical function that rounds a given number down to the nearest integer. If the number is already an integer, the floor function will return the same number. For example, the floor of 4.8 is 4, while the floor of 2 is 2.

How is the floor function denoted?

The floor function is denoted by the symbol ⌊x⌋, where x is the number to be rounded down. This symbol is also known as the 'floor brackets' or 'floor notation'.

What are some common uses of ceiling and floor functions?

Ceiling and floor functions are commonly used in computer programming, particularly in algorithms that require rounding up or down. They are also used in financial calculations, such as rounding up or down to the nearest dollar or cent. These functions can also be used in mathematical proofs and calculations involving limits and inequalities.

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