Note that if we change the numbers slightly, we end up with
$$
9 \sqrt{10 - 1} = 27
$$
which is easy to find. So, we can approximate $8.98\sqrt{9.98-1.02}$ using $9 \sqrt{10 - 1}$.
Now, call the numbers which we changed $x,y,z$. We can say that the above two expressions are values of the function $f(x,y,z) = x \sqrt{y - z}$: the expression which we want to approximate is $f(8.98,9.98,1.02)$, while the expression with slightly different values is $f(9,10,1) = 27$.
With the above in mind, we should approximate $f(8.98,9.98,1.02)$ using the linear approximation to $f(x,y,z) = x \sqrt{y - z}$ about the point $(x,y,z) = (9,10,1)$.
Note that if we change the numbers slightly, we end up with $$ 9 \sqrt{10 - 1} = 27 $$ which is easy to find. So, we can approximate $8.98\sqrt{9.98-1.02}$ using $9 \sqrt{10 - 1}$.
Now, call the numbers which we changed $x,y,z$. We can say that the above two expressions are values of the function $f(x,y,z) = x \sqrt{y - z}$: the expression which we want to approximate is $f(8.98,9.98,1.02)$, while the expression with slightly different values is $f(9,10,1) = 27$.
With the above in mind, we should approximate $f(8.98,9.98,1.02)$ using the linear approximation to $f(x,y,z) = x \sqrt{y - z}$ about the point $(x,y,z) = (9,10,1)$.