Significant Figures What is a significant figure There

  • Slides: 17
Download presentation
Significant Figures

Significant Figures

What is a significant figure? There are 2 kinds of numbers: Exact: the amount

What is a significant figure? There are 2 kinds of numbers: Exact: the amount of money in your account. Known with certainty.

What is a significant figure? Approximate: weight, height—anything MEASURED. No measurement is perfect.

What is a significant figure? Approximate: weight, height—anything MEASURED. No measurement is perfect.

When to use Significant figures When a measurement is recorded only those digits that

When to use Significant figures When a measurement is recorded only those digits that are dependable are written down.

When to use Significant figures If you measured the width of a paper with

When to use Significant figures If you measured the width of a paper with your ruler you might record 21. 7 cm. To a mathematician 21. 70, or 21. 700 is the same.

But, to a scientist 21. 7 cm and 21. 70 cm is NOT the

But, to a scientist 21. 7 cm and 21. 70 cm is NOT the same 21. 700 cm to a scientist means the measurement is accurate to within one thousandth of a cm.

How do I know how many Sig Figs? Rule: Any non-zero numbers will ALWAYS

How do I know how many Sig Figs? Rule: Any non-zero numbers will ALWAYS be significant.

How do I know how many Sig Figs? Rule: In whole numbers that end

How do I know how many Sig Figs? Rule: In whole numbers that end in zero, the zeros at the end are not significant.

How many sig figs? 7 40 0. 5 0. 00003 7 x 105 7,

How many sig figs? 7 40 0. 5 0. 00003 7 x 105 7, 000 1 1 1

How do I know how many Sig Figs? Rule: If zeros are sandwiched between

How do I know how many Sig Figs? Rule: If zeros are sandwiched between non-zero numbers, the zeros become significant.

How do I know how many Sig Figs? Rule: If zeros are at the

How do I know how many Sig Figs? Rule: If zeros are at the end of a number that has a decimal, the zeros are significant. These are called trailing zeroes. If zeroes are at the beginning of a number (numbers less than 1), the zeroes are said to be insignificant. These are called leading zeroes.

How many sig figs here? 1. 2 204 56. 76 4. 00 0. 0792

How many sig figs here? 1. 2 204 56. 76 4. 00 0. 0792 7, 083, 000 2 3 4 3 3 4

How many sig figs here? 3401 2100. 0 5. 00 0. 00412 8, 000,

How many sig figs here? 3401 2100. 0 5. 00 0. 00412 8, 000, 050, 000 4 2 5 3 3 6

What about calculations with sig figs? Rule: When adding or subtracting measured numbers, the

What about calculations with sig figs? Rule: When adding or subtracting measured numbers, the answer can have no more places after the decimal than the LEAST of the measured numbers.

Add/Subtract examples 2. 45 cm + 1. 2 cm = 3. 65 cm, Round

Add/Subtract examples 2. 45 cm + 1. 2 cm = 3. 65 cm, Round off to 7. 432 cm = 3. 7 cm + 2 cm = 9. 432

Multiplication and Division Rule: When multiplying or dividing, the result can have no more

Multiplication and Division Rule: When multiplying or dividing, the result can have no more significant figures than the least reliable measurement.

A couple of examples 56. 78 cm x 2. 45 cm = 139. 111

A couple of examples 56. 78 cm x 2. 45 cm = 139. 111 cm 2 Round to 139 cm 2 75. 8 cm x 9. 6 cm = 727. 68 cm 2 Round to 730