Rules of Significant Figures

1. Zero's in front of non-zero numbers are not significant.

2. Zero's at the end of a number and to the right of a decimal are significant.

3. Zero's between non-zero numbers are significant.

4. Zero's at the end of a number may or may not be significant. If there is a decimal at the end of the number then they are significant.

Try These:

How many significant figures are there?

a.) 101 ______

b.) .0001 _____

c.) .00010 _____

d.) 1023______

e.) 1000.00 _____

Answers: a.) 3  b.) 1  c.) 2  d.) 4  e.)  6

When adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing, you can only be as accurate as your number with the least number of significant figures.

Try These:

f.) 102  + 102.4  =

g.) 10.3 -  .05 =

h.) 2.3  X  6.45 =

i.) .003  /  1.2345 =

Answers: f.) 204  g.) 10  h.) 15  i.) .002