not sure how to find the lower and upper limits

Question

A piston rod for a automobile is 9 3/8 in. long with a tolerance of 1/32 in. What is the lower and upper limits of the length of the piston rod?

Answer 1

In manufacturing, engineering design, or even architecture, you will see drawings that have tolerances.  Tolerances are range of dimensions in which the design is acceptable for a component to fit inside another.

 

Tolerances are usually in the form ±T.  T is tolerance.   In this case, your dimensions will be

 

 

9 3/8 ± 1/32

 

 

If we add the tolerance to the desired length, we get the upper limit. 

If we subtract the tolerance from the desired length, we get the lower limit.

 

 

Lower limit = 9 3/8 - 1/32

Upper limit = 9 3/8 + 1/32 

 

 

I leave it to you to perform the calculations.

Answer 2

9 3/8+ 1/32 is the upper limit

9 3/8-1/32 is the lower limit.

Go ahead and simplify the fractions.