Question

Please answer the following questions with the proper significant figures:

[You are welcome to use calculator. Just remember that calculator doesn't do sig fig for you]

a) (32.670+1.2204)-14.0 =

b) 12.080 x 4.050 x 0.231 =

c) (3.051 x 103) x (2.00 x 10-2) =

Answer 1

for addition/subtraction, the answer should have the same # of decimal places as the # with the least decimal places

this is easier to understand with example

a) (32.670+1.2204)-14.0 =

since 14.0 only has 1 decimal place (the least # of decimal places), your final answer should have the same # of decimal places as 14.0. (1 decimal place)

plug (32.670+1.2204)-14.0 = into a calculator and round to 1 decimal place

Answer 2

for multiplication/division, the answer should have the same # of significant digits as the # with the least # significant digits

demonstrating, with b) 12.080 x 4.050 x 0.231 =
since 0.231 only has 3 significant digits (the 0 in front doesn't count), the least out of all three numbers, the answer should also have 3 significant digits.

plug 12.080 x 4.050 x 0.231 into a calculator then round to 3 sig figs

Answer 3

c) is the same principle as b) except the significant digits are based on the (3.051 and the 2.00, not the 10^ exponents)