Scientific Notation

Question 1

When adding and subtracting using significant figures, what will the amount of numbers after the decimal point look like?

Answer 1

The number of places after the decimal in the final answer is the same as the least number of places after the decimal from the numbers you are working with.

E.g. 89.332
+ 0.01
Only two significant figures. Therefore answer is 89.342 and is rounded to 89.34

Question 2

Trailing zeros without a decimal point are significant or not significant?

Answer 2

Not significant

Leading zeros to the left of non zeros are not significant

Trailing zeros with a decimal point are significant

Trailing zeros without a decimal point are not significant

Question 3

Leading zeros with no decimal significant or not significant?

Answer 3

Not significant

Leading zeros to the left of non zeros are not significant

Trailing zeros with a decimal point are significant

Trailing zeros without a decimal point are not significant

Question 4

Leading zeros with decimal point significant or not significant?

Answer 4

Not significant

Leading zeros to the left of non zeros are not significant

Trailing zeros with a decimal point are significant

Trailing zeros without a decimal point are not significant

Question 5

Trailing zeros with a decimal point are significant or not significant?

Answer 5

Significant

Leading zeros to the left of non zeros are not significant

Trailing zeros with a decimal point are significant

Trailing zeros without a decimal point are not significant

Question 6

In multiplying and dividing with significant figures, what are we looking for?

Answer 6

The factors with the least number of significant figures. That is the number of SF we will use for the answer.

Careful when multiplying with exact numbers obtained by definition (*1km=1000m) or counting (5 oranges). If you accidentally mistake this as having only 1 significant figure your answer could have an infinite number of significant figures.