Let's solve this step-by-step to determine the sum of the given distances and then round it to the appropriate precision.
1. List the given distances:
- 16.74 meters
- 15.2 meters
- 176.5 meters
- 8.956 meters
2. Calculate the sum of these distances:
First, add the distances together:
[tex]\[
16.74 + 15.2 + 176.5 + 8.956
\][/tex]
When these numbers are added, the sum is:
[tex]\[
217.396 \text{ meters}
\][/tex]
3. Determine the appropriate precision:
To determine the appropriate precision for the sum, we look at the least precise measurement. The given distances have the following decimal places:
- 16.74 (2 decimal places)
- 15.2 (1 decimal place)
- 176.5 (1 decimal place)
- 8.956 (3 decimal places)
The least precise measurement is 15.2 meters and 176.5 meters, each having only 1 decimal place. Therefore, our final answer must be rounded to 1 decimal place.
4. Round the total distance to 1 decimal place:
[tex]\[
217.396 \approx 217.4 \text{ meters}
\][/tex]
So, the sum of 16.74 m, 15.2 m, 176.5 m, and 8.956 m, rounded to the proper degree of precision, is:
[tex]\[
\boxed{217.4 \text{ meters}}
\][/tex]
