Students use the provided descriptions to identify and categorize the physical properties of four common rock types.

Problem Overview:

The task involves analyzing the properties of four types of rocks (Slate, Sandstone, Marble, and Granite) based on the information provided in the "stone tablets" and then filling out a table with the appropriate characteristics.

Step-by-Step Solution:

#### 1. Analyze the Properties of Each Rock:

- Slate:
- Has lots of layers.
- Hardwearing.
- Good for roof tiles.
- Inference: Slate is likely hard and impermeable (does not let water through easily).

- Sandstone:
- Crumbles easily.
- Lets water through.
- Decorative.
- Inference: Sandstone is soft, permeable, and not shiny.

- Marble:
- Can be polished.
- Shiny.
- Very strong.
- Waterproof.
- Inference: Marble is hard, non-permeable, shiny, and durable.

- Granite:
- Strong.
- Difficult to scratch.
- Waterproof.
- Inference: Granite is hard, non-permeable, and dull (not shiny).

#### 2. Match the Characteristics to the Table:

Now, we will fill out the table based on the inferences made above.

| Characteristic | Slate | Sandstone | Marble | Granite |
|----------------|-------|-----------|--------|---------|
| soft | | ✔ | | |
| hard | ✔ | | ✔ | ✔ |
| permeable | | ✔ | | |
| non-permeable | ✔ | | ✔ | ✔ |
| can be shiny | | | ✔ | |
| dull | ✔ | ✔ | | ✔ |

#### Explanation of Each Row:

1. Soft:
- Sandstone crumbles easily, so it is soft.
- The others are described as hard or strong, so they are not soft.

2. Hard:
- Slate, Marble, and Granite are all described as hard or strong, so they are marked as hard.
- Sandstone is soft, so it is not hard.

3. Permeable:
- Sandstone lets water through, so it is permeable.
- The others are either waterproof or do not allow water to pass through, so they are not permeable.

4. Non-permeable:
- Slate, Marble, and Granite are waterproof or do not let water through, so they are non-permeable.
- Sandstone is permeable, so it is not non-permeable.

5. Can be shiny:
- Marble is explicitly described as shiny, so it is marked as shiny.
- The others are not described as shiny, so they are not marked.

6. Dull:
- Slate, Sandstone, and Granite are not described as shiny, so they are considered dull.
- Marble is shiny, so it is not dull.

Final Answer:

The completed table is as follows:

| Characteristic | Slate | Sandstone | Marble | Granite |
|----------------|-------|-----------|--------|---------|
| soft | | ✔ | | |
| hard | ✔ | | ✔ | ✔ |
| permeable | | ✔ | | |
| non-permeable | ✔ | | ✔ | ✔ |
| can be shiny | | | ✔ | |
| dull | ✔ | ✔ | | ✔ |

Final Answer: \boxed{\text{See the filled table above.}}