Significant Figures Rules

Question 1

For numbers with a decimal point that is greater than or equal to with a decimal point, what numbers are significant?

Answer 1

ALL numbers are significant.

ex) 49.01500 has 7 significant figures.

Question 2

When a number is greater than zero WITHOUT a decimal point, what numbers are significant?

Answer 2

Terminal zeros in numbers are not significant.

ex) 12000 has 2 significant figures.

Question 3

For numbers less than 1, which numbers are significant?

Answer 3

Go to the right until you find the first digit that is always significant. Any number from the digit to the right is significant.
ex) .00340 has 3 significant figures.
.002860 has 4 significant figures.

Question 4

How many significant figures are there when a measurement can only be a whole number?

Answer 4

UNLIMITED!

ex) 72.000000000… for 72 people.

Question 5

What digits are always significant?

Answer 5

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 and 9

ex) 537 has 3 significant figures

Question 6

How many significant figures is in a set quantity?

Answer 6

UNLIMITED!

ex) 60 minutes