Presentation Transcript
SignificantFigureRules :SignificantFigureRules
Rule Number 1 :Rule Number 1 All non zero digits are significant.
Examples
1179 – 4 significant figures
215 - 3 significant figures
17 - 2 significant figures
Rule Number 2 :Rule Number 2 Zeros in between non zero digits ARE significant.
Examples
203 - 3 significant figures
3005 – 4 significant figures
Rule Number 3 :Rule Number 3 Zeros at the end of a number and to the right of a decimal ARE significant.
Examples
10.00 – 4 significant figures
7.2 - 2 significant figures
Rule Number 4 :Rule Number 4 Zeros in front of non zero digits are not significant.
Examples
.000257 – 3 significant figures
.00257 - 3 significant figures
Rule Number 5 :Rule Number 5 Zeros to the left of a decimal are confusing so scientific notation is used to tell the number of significant figures.
Example
1000 = 1.00 x 103 (ALWAYS USE 3 SIGNIFICANT FIGURES)
Rule Number 6 :Rule Number 6 A decimal point at the end of a “zeroed” number denotes an exact number. All digits are significant.
Examples
10000. – 5 significant figures
100. – 3 significant figures
10. – 2 significant figures
Addition and Subtraction :Addition and Subtraction The answer cannot have any more place values to the right of the decimal than the least digits present in the problem.
Example
10.52 – 7.3 = 3.2
Multiplication/Division :Multiplication/Division The answer cannot have any more significant figures than the least number present in the problem.
Example
10.52 / 7.3 – 2 significant figures
Multiplication/Division :Multiplication/Division The number 1 (one) does not change significant figures on multiplication/division problems.