Significant Figures: Do Instructors Require Them?

[Elbobo]

There isn't really a problem, but I just had a question about sigfigs. My current Physics teacher tells my class that in physics significant figures aren't that important like in chemistry, so we ignore them in our problems and just round to the nearest hundredth.

Do you instructors require significant figures for your students? My textbook uses them, so I have a feeling I should get used to them again.

 

[mgb_phys]

Probably what they meant was that physics lessons are concerned with how you get the answer not the details of the measuremnt.
In experimental physics - precision, accuracy, experimental error and sig figures are important.

 

[thomate1]

I can understand your confusion about significant figures in physics. While it is true that the concept of significant figures is more commonly used in chemistry, it is still an important aspect of scientific measurement and should not be ignored in physics.

Instructors may have different preferences when it comes to significant figures, but as a general rule, it is important to use them in scientific calculations and measurements. Significant figures help to ensure the accuracy and precision of our results, and ignoring them can lead to incorrect conclusions or errors in our data.

I would recommend following your textbook's guidance on significant figures and practicing using them in your calculations. This will not only help you in your current physics class, but also in any future scientific studies or research where precise measurements are crucial.

In conclusion, while significant figures may not be emphasized as much in physics as they are in chemistry, they still play a significant role in ensuring the accuracy and reliability of scientific data. So it is important to become comfortable with using them in your calculations.