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Significant Figures
Introduction
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Rules for
Determining Significant Figures
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| 1. |
All nonzero
digits are significant.
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| 2. |
A zero with a
bar over it, 0, is
significant. This will only occur on the left side of the decimal point.
It is only used to specify a zero is significant when the rules state it
is not significant. 456000
has 5 significant figures
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| 3. |
If there is a
written decimal point, start from the right side of the number. All
numbers are significant until you get to only zeroes.
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| 4. |
If there is an
implied decimal
point instead of a written decimal point, start on the left side of the number.
All numbers are significant until you get to only zeroes. |
Table of Contents
Significant Figure Problems
How many significant figures
are in each of the following.
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|
1.
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0.000,034,30 |
6.
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0.000,000,50 |
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2.
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890,000 |
7.
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390,000 |
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3.
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560. |
8.
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4678 |
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4.
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0.005,218 |
9.
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0.000,076,500 |
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5.
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670.0
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10.
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8000.00
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Table of Contents
Significant
Figure Answers
How many significant figures
are in each of the following.
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| 1. |
0.000,034,30 |
Because
of the written decimal point, we
count from the right until we get only zeroes.
0.000,034,30
The digits in white are the significant figures.
There are 4
significant figures.
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|
|
|
|
| 2. |
890,000 |
Because
of the implied decimal point, we
count from the left until we get only zeroes.
890,000
The digits in
white are the significant
figures.
There are 2 significant figures.
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|
|
|
|
| 3. |
560. |
Because
of the written decimal point, we
count from the right until we get only zeroes.
560.
The digits in
white are the significant
figures.
There are 3
significant figures.
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|
|
|
|
| 4. |
0.005,218 |
Because
of the written decimal point, we
count from the right until we get only zeroes.
0.005,218
The digits in
white are the significant
figures.
There are 4
significant figures.
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|
|
|
|
| 5. |
670.0 |
Because
of the written decimal point, we
count from the right until we get only zeroes.
670.0
The digits in
white are the significant
figures.
There are 4
significant figures.
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|
|
|
|
| 6. |
0.000,000,50 |
Because
of the written decimal point, we
count from the right until we get only zeroes.
0.000,000,50
The digits in
white are the significant
figures.
There are 2
significant figures.
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|
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|
| 7. |
390,000 |
Because
of the implied decimal point, we
count from the left until we get only zeroes. The
0 is a significant
figure. zero with a bar
390,000
The digits in
white are the significant
figures.
here are 4 significant figures.
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|
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|
| 8. |
4678 |
Because
of the implied decimal point, we
count from the left until we get only zeroes. We
have only nonzero digits
4678
The digits in
white are the significant
figures.
There are 4 significant figures.
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|
|
|
|
| 9. |
0.000,076,500 |
Because
of the written decimal point, we
count from the right until we get only zeroes.
0.000,076,500
The digits in
white are the significant
figures.
There are 5
significant figures.
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|
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|
|
| 10. |
8000.00 |
Because
of the written decimal point, we
count from the right until we get only zeroes.
8000.00
The digits in
white are the significant
figures.
There are 6
significant figures.
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Table of Contents
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