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Significant Figures

The document discusses significant figures and their importance in measurements and calculations. It provides rules for determining the number of significant figures in measurements and applying significant figures in calculations. Examples are given for counting significant figures, performing calculations using addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and combination problems according to the significant figure rules. The answers to the examples show working through the calculations step-by-step and properly rounding final answers based on the rules.

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113 views

Significant Figures

The document discusses significant figures and their importance in measurements and calculations. It provides rules for determining the number of significant figures in measurements and applying significant figures in calculations. Examples are given for counting significant figures, performing calculations using addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and combination problems according to the significant figure rules. The answers to the examples show working through the calculations step-by-step and properly rounding final answers based on the rules.

Uploaded by

Burning Phenom
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SIGNIFICANT DIGITS/FIGURES

Any measurement is inaccurate to some degree. The inaccuracy stems from several factors. The precision of any
measuring device is limited. The person doing the measurement may introduce error. The experimental technique may
be faulty. Because a measurement contains some degree of inaccuracy, the number of digits that is valid for the
measurement is also limited. This limitation must be carried through to the final results of calculations using the
measurement.

SIGNIFICANT DIGITS RULES:


1. All non-zero digits are significant.
2. Zeros
a. Leading Zeros ARE NOT significant
b. Middle Zeros ARE significant
c. Trailing Zeros – MIGHT / MIGHT NOT BE significant
(Depends on the presence of a DECIMAL POINT)
c.i. if decimal point is present: ARE significant
c.ii. if decimal point is not present: MIGHT / MIGHT NOT BE significant

Note: To clearly indicate whether trailing zeros in a measurement are significant one would need to either:
• State the intended number of significant figures after the number, or
• Use scientific notation, or
• Use a unit that allows the number of significant figures to more easily be identified
• e.g. instead of writing 2500 g, write 2500 g (3 s.f.) or 2.50 x 10 3 g or or 2.50 kg

EXAMPLES
COUNTING SIGNIFICANT DIGITS
1. How many significant digits are in the following numbers?
a. 1234 e. 9010.0
b. 0.023 f. 0.00120
c. 890 g. 3.4 x 104
d. 91010 h. 0.0001

2. How many significant digits are in the following measurements?


a. 23.30 cm d. 0.5 mL
b. 365 kg e. 704,000 h
c. 2.000 x 10 f. 0.0001010450 s

ANSWERS
COUNTING SIGNIFICANT DIGITS
1. How many significant digits are in the following numbers?
a. 1234 4 e. 9010.0 5
b. 0.023 2 f. 0.00120 3
c. 890 Uncertain 2/3 g. 3.4 x 104 2
d. 91010 Uncertain 4/5 h. 0.0001 1

2. How many significant digits are in the following measurements?


a. 23.30 cm 4 d. 0.5 mL 1
b. 365 kg 3 e. 704,000 h Uncertain 3/4/5/6
c. 2.000 x 10 4 f. 0.0001010450 s 7
1
RULES FOR CALCULATIONS USING SIGNIFICANT DIGITS:
1. Multiplication and Division:
a. The number of significant digits in the answer should be equal to the number of significant digits in the
least accurate factor (i.e. the number with the fewest total significant digits).
2. Addition and Subtraction:
a. The number of decimal places in the answer should be equal to the number of decimal places in the
number with the fewest decimal places.
Note:
• When performing calculations, you should do the calculation using all the digits allowed by the calculator and
round off only at the end of the problem. Rounding in the middle can introduce errors.
• Round up the final digit retained if the following digit is 5 or greater.

EXAMPLES
USING SIGNIFICANT DIGITS IN CALCULATIONS
1. Complete these addition problems. Write the sum correctly using significant digit rules.
a. 3.414 + 10.02 + 58.325 + 0.0098
b. 1884 + 0.94 + 1.0 + 9.778
2. Complete these subtraction problems. Write the difference correctly using significant digit rules.
a. 2.326 – 0.10408
b. 2104.1 – 463.09
3. Complete these multiplication problems. Write the product correctly using significant digit rules.
a. (10.19) * (0.013)
b. (140.01) * (26.042) * (0.0159)
4. Complete these division problems. Write the quotient correctly using significant digit rules.
a. (80.23) / (2.4)
b. (4.301) / (1.9)
5. Complete these combination problems. Write the answer correctly using significant digit rules.
a. 2104.1 – 80.23 / 2.4
b. (2.326 – 0.10408) / 2.4

ANSWERS
USING SIGNIFICANT DIGITS IN CALCULATIONS
1. Complete these addition problems. Write the sum correctly using significant digit rules.
a. 3.414 + 10.02 + 58.325 + 0.0098 = 71.77 [Ans must have least number of decimal places here]
b. 1884 + 0.94 + 1.0 + 9.778 = 1896 [Note the smallest number of d.p. here is zero]

2. Complete these subtraction problems. Write the difference correctly using significant digit rules.
a. 2.326 – 0.10408 = 2.222 [Ans must have least number of decimal places here]
b. 2104.1 – 463.09 = 1641.0 [Note that the zero after the decimal point must be written]

3. Complete these multiplication problems. Write the product correctly using significant digit rules.
a. (10.19) * (0.013) = 0.13 [Ans must have least number of total significant digits here]
b. (140.01) * (26.042) * (0.0159) = 58.0 [Note that the zero after the decimal point must be written]

4. Complete these division problems. Write the quotient correctly using significant digit rules.
a. (4.301) / (1.9) = 2.3 [Ans must have least number of total significant digits here]
b. (80.23) / (2.4) = 33 [Note that only 2 sig figs are needed; so the ans here has no d.p.]

2
5. Complete these combination problems. Write the answer correctly using significant digit rules.
• Follow BOMDAS rule to work the calculation out in stages [Brackets, Or, Mult, Div, Add, Subt]
• At each stage, follow the different sig fig rules for Addition & Subtraction versus Multiplication & Division
• Ideally retain all numbers in full in your calculator and only round your final answer.

a. 2104.1 – 80.23 / 2.4


= 2104.1 – 33 [Keep least s.f. from division] [**Retain 33.42916667 in your calculator**]
= 2071 [Keep least d.p. From subtraction]

b. (2.326 – 0.10408) / 2.4


= 2.222 / 2.4 [Keep least d.p. from subtraction] [**Retain 2.22192 in your calculator**]
= 0.93 [Keep least s.f. from division]

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