- #1
Muhammad Danish
- 70
- 7
Homework Statement
Number of significant figures on 5.400 are?
Homework Equations
Does the 0s after 4 count as significant figures?
The Attempt at a Solution
4 ?
Significant figures are the digits in a number that hold meaning and contribute to the precision of the measurement. They are important because they help convey the accuracy and reliability of a measurement or calculation.
Non-zero digits are always significant. Zeros between non-zero digits are significant. Zeros at the beginning of a number are not significant. Zeros at the end of a number and to the right of a decimal point are significant. The number in question, 5.400, has 4 significant figures because all the digits are non-zero and the zero after the decimal point is also significant.
Counting on 5.400 means that the number is accurate to the hundredths place. This means that the measurement or calculation was done with precision up to two decimal places. The zero at the end of the number signifies that the measurement or calculation was done to the hundredths place, making it a significant figure in this case.
Yes, zeroes can be insignificant figures in certain cases. Zeros at the end of a number without a decimal point present are considered placeholders and are not significant. For example, the number 500 has only one significant figure because the zeros are placeholders and do not contribute to the precision of the measurement.
When performing calculations, the result should have the same number of significant figures as the number with the least amount of significant figures used in the calculation. For example, if you are dividing 5.400 by 2, the result should be rounded to two significant figures, giving the answer 2.7. It is important to keep track of significant figures in calculations to ensure the accuracy and precision of the final result.