Significant Figures

Rules:

All nonzero digits are significant.

If the digit is between 1 to 9 it’s count as a significant(self explained)

All zeros that are found after nonzero digits are significant.

If the zeros is behind a nonzero digit (1 to 9) it is significant

Example:

0.10 there wil be 2 significant here because every zero that are behind a nonzero digit become a significant

Leading zeros (to the left of the first nonzero digit) are not significant. ...

If zero is to the left of a nonzero digit(1 to 9) it doesn’t count as a significant

Example:

0.01

the 2 zeros infront of 1 doesn’t count as a significant since only numbers after the nonzero degit counts

Trailing zeros for a whole number that ends with a decimal point are significant.

The zeros that are decimal (behind the decimal point) & behind a whole number it become significant

Example: 100.0

100 is the whole number ending with a decimal

the zero after the decimal point will be count as a significant

Rounding to a specific significant figure

Example:

Put these number as 2 significant figure

5.123234263417

We only need 2 significant here so we do not care about the first 2 digits → 5 and 1

The only thing that we need to care is the 3rd digit → 2

The rule of rounding is:

>5 = round up to closest whole number

<5 = round down to closest whole number

Following that rule 5.1 will stay as 5.1 because 2<5

Let’s say the number after the 1 is 6

“5.163234263417”

Then we will change the number slightly since we have to round it up because 6>5

therefore it become 5.2

Want to print your doc?
This is not the way.

Try clicking the ⋯ next to your doc name or using a keyboard shortcut (

CtrlP

) instead.