Help please! I understand how do use significant figures but I don't understand the reasoning behind them. Why can't we be exact like in other types of math? What is using significant figures trying to accomplish?

Question

Help please!  I understand how do use significant figures but I don't understand the reasoning behind them.  Why can't we be exact like in other types of math?  What is using significant figures trying to accomplish?

ipwnbunnies · Answer

Practically, we cannot be more precise than the precision of your instruments.

ipwnbunnies · Answer

of the instruments we use*

anonymous · Answer

but when I put numbers into a calculator, it gives a better answer than significant figures allow me to report.

ipwnbunnies · Answer

Yeah, I know, it can be a weird concept, but calculators don't follow sig figs.

anonymous · Answer

So a calculator gives a more accurate answer but we cant be as precise, or is it the other way around?