1. Significant Figures

2. Why care?
Allows us to be accurate with the information we actually have.

3. Rules All nonzero numbers are significant. Ex: 432 = 3 sig figs
0’s between nonzero numbers are significant
Ex: 401 = 3 sig figs
Trailing zeros are not significant unless there is a decimal point.
Ex: = 1 sig fig
Ex: = 4 sig figs
Leading zeros are not significant.
Ex: = sig figs

4. Multiplying and Dividing Measurements
The answer will have the same number of sig figs as the measurement with the least amount of sig figs.
Ex: g / 2.5 mL = 2.0 g/mL
5.00 g / mL = 2.00 g/mL

5. Adding and Subtracting Measurements
The answer will have the same amount of numbers after the decimal as the measurement with the least amount of numbers after the decimal.
Ex: g g = 8.58 g = 8.6 g
8.73 mL – mL = 6.51 mL