Sig Figs and Rounding

Front

What are significant figures?

Back

Significant figures (sig figs) are the digits in a number that contribute to its precision. This includes all non-zero digits, any zeros between significant digits, and trailing zeros in the decimal portion.

Front

How do you determine the number of significant figures in a measurement?

Back

Count all non-zero digits, any zeros between them, and trailing zeros in a decimal number. Leading zeros are not counted.

Front

What is the rule for rounding when adding or subtracting numbers?

Back

Round the result to the least number of decimal places of any number in the operation.

Front

What is the rule for rounding when multiplying or dividing numbers?

Back

Round the result to the least number of significant figures of any number in the operation.

Front

Round 0.00456 to 2 significant figures.

Back

0.0046

Front

Round 123.456 to 4 significant figures.

Back

123.5

Front

What is scientific notation?

Back

Scientific notation is a way of expressing numbers as a product of a number between 1 and 10 and a power of 10.

Front

Express 0.00045 in scientific notation.

Back

4.5 x 10^-4

Front

How do you round 1,256 to 3 significant figures?

Back

1,260

Front

Calculate and round: 25 g - 2.005 g.

Back

23 g