1. Measurements and Calculations

3. Accuracy and Precision
You must use the correct equipment
Accuracy is how close you come to the desired value
Precision is how close all of the data is to itself

4. Significant Figures The amount of rounding that is acceptable
Calculators do not use significant figures
Sig Figs are essential to reporting the results
This discusses how certain one is of each number

5. Significant Figures Rules 1. ALL non-zero numbers are significant
2. All zeros between non-zero numbers are significant
3. Zeros to the right of a non-zero number are significant ONLY if a decimal is used
4. Zeros to the left of non-zero numbers are not significant

6. Significant Figures
46.3
All three numbers are significant
40.789
All five numbers are significant
7.890
All four numbers are significant
All six numbers are significant
Four numbers are significant

7. Significant Figures Multiplication and Division
The answer must have the same number of significant figures as the measurement with the SMALLEST number of significant figures
x =
On the calculator it reads:
The measurement with the smallest number of sig figs is with four sig figs, so round so the answer has four sig figs, or 14.24

8. Significant Figures Addition and subtraction
The answer can be no more certain than the least certain number in the calculation

9. Scientific Notation
This shows significant figures by condensing to a single digit decimal place
486,000,000,000 becomes 4.86 x 1011
becomes 6.8 x 10-14
Must have single digit decimal place
When the exponent is positive, the number is greater than 1
When the exponent is negative, the number is less than 1

10. Scientific Notation
When putting scientific notation in the calculator, use the EE or EXP button, do not put x 10 ^ exponent
If this is done, the calculation will be incorrect!