Significant digits

RULES FOR SIGNIFICANT DIGITS 1. Non-zero digits are ALWAYS significant. Example- 123456789 2. Zeros that are between other significant digits are ALWAYS significant. Example- 3004  3. Final zeros that occur before or after the decimal are ALWAYS significant. Example- 78.00 4. Zeros used for spacing the decimal are NOT significant. Example- 0.003

EXAMPLES 3 SIG FIGS 4 SIG FIGS 5 SIG FIGS 250 m/s 3150 m/s 74850 m/s 0.250 ml 3.150 ml 74.850 ml 0.0250 ml 0.3150 ml 7.4850 ml 0.00250 ml 0.03150 ml 0.74850 ml 0.000250 ml 0.003150 ml 0.074850 ml 700 m/s 7 000 m/s 70 000 m/s 8.07 x 106 m/s 8.007 x 106 m/s 8.0007 x 106 m/s

HOW MANY SIGNIFICANT DIGITS? 2804 0.00305 2.84 30.24 0.0029 6.89 4.6 X 104 0.001 75.00 6.0 50000 123.056 360 100.04

ADDING & SUBTRACTING Here is the rule: Look at all of the numbers to add/subtract and find the number with the LEAST number of sig. digs. AFTER the decimal. This is how many sig. digs. should be after the decimal in your answer. Example - 24.686 2.343 3.21 30.239 ANSWER = 30.24

MULTIPLYING & DIVIDING Here is the rule: Look at all of the numbers to multiply/divide and find the number with the LEAST number of sig. digs. This is how many sig. digs. that you should have in your answer. Example - 3.22 x 2.1 = 6.762 ANSWER = 6.8