Significant Figures & Scientific Notation

Rules for SigFigs 1.Any non-zero digit is significant 2.Any trapped zeros are significant 3.Zeros to the left of the decimal point at the end of a number are NOT significant (trailing zeros) 4.Zeros to the right of the decimal point at the beginning of a number are NOT significant (leading zeros) 5.Answer can have only as many sigfigs as the fewest in the problem

EXAMPLES 23 – both are non-zero numbers (2 sigfigs) 109 – zero between two non-zero numbers (trapped zero – 3 sigfigs) 4500 – trailing zeros before the decimal are NOT significant (2 sigfigs) – leading zeros after the decimal are NOT significant (3 sigfigs) 6.00 – trailing zeros after the decimal ARE significant (3 sigfigs)

Scientific Notation 1.Can be only 1 number to the left of the decimal 2.Second part is written as (x 10 n ) 3.If the number to be written is smaller than 1 then n MUST be negative 4.If the number to be written is larger than 1 then n MUST be positive

EXAMPLES Write the following in scientific notation: 157 – move decimal two places to left 1.57 x – move decimal four places to left 2.3 x – move decimal five places to right 2.79 x – move decimal ten places to right 3.24 x