Name Significant Figures

[Pages:3]Name ________________________

Significant Figures

There are two rules for determining the number of significant figures in a number:

(A) If the decimal point is present, start at the left side of the number and skip over any zeros until you reach the first nonzero digit, then count the number of remaining digits.

How many significant figures are in 0.00100?

0.00100 has three significant figures

The zeros to the left of the 1 are place holders whereas the zero to the right are measured values. In scientific notation 1.00 x 10-3 also only has 3 significant figures.

How many significant figures are in 10.10?

10.10 has four significant figures

(B) If the decimal point is absent, start on the right side of the number, skip over any zeros until you get to a nonzero digit and then count the remaining digits.

How many significant figures are in 1000?

1000 has one significant figure

How many significant figures are in the following numbers?

1. 0.00234 has ________ Sig Figs

6. 1,000,000 has ________ Sig Figs

2. 112.1 has ________ Sig Figs

7. 1,000. has ________ Sig Figs

3. 1.000 has ________ Sig Figs

8. 0.00065 has ________ Sig Figs

4. 1400 has ________ Sig Figs

9. 3.0 x 10-5 has ________ Sig Figs

5. 0.100 has ________ Sig Figs

10. 7.11 x 104 has ________ Sig Figs

? Van Der Sluys, 2004

1

Name ________________________

Significant Figures

There are two rules for determining the number of significant figures that result from mathematical operations.

(A) For multiplication and division, the number of significant figures in the answer will be the same as the value that had the fewest significant figures in the operation.

What is the result of multiplying 25.0 by 2, with the proper number of significant figures?

25.0 x 2 = 50 or 5 x 101 since there is only one sig fig

(B) For addition and subtraction, write the numbers vertically, with the decimal point in a common position and determine the smallest digit in which both numbers have significant figures. The answer must also have significant figures in this position. It is possible to gain or lose significant figure as a result of addition or subtraction

What is the result of adding 5.5 and 6.5 with the correct number of significant figure

5.5 + 6.5 12.0

Since both 5.5 and 6.5 have a significant figure in the tenths position the answer also has a significant figure in the tenths position, result in three significant figures in the answer.

How many significant figures will be in the answer for the following mathematical operations?

11. 2.0 + 3.0001 =

15. 10.0 / 2 =

The answer has ____ sig figs

The answer has ____ sig figs

12. 4.5 x 0.0010 =

16. 16 + 4 =

The answer has ____ sig figs

The answer has ____ sig figs

13. (2.0 x 103) / (5.50 x 107) =

17. 100 ? 99 =

The answer has ____ sig figs

The answer has ____ sig figs

14. 6.1 ? 6.0 =

18. 12 / 6.0 =

The answer has ____ sig figs

The answer has ____ sig figs

? Van Der Sluys, 2004

2

Name ________________________

Answers

1. 3 2. 4 3. 1 4. 2 5. 3 6. 1 7. 4 8. 2 9. 2 10. 3 11. 2 12. 2 13. 2 14. 1 15. 1 16. 2 17. 1 18. 2

Significant Figures

? Van Der Sluys, 2004

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