significant figures:
how do you tell if the numbers are significant? here are 4 rules to tell
1. digits between 1 and 9 are always significant
2. zeros between two significant digits are always significant .. example: in the number 404 there are three significant digits the two 4s and the 0 in between them according to this rule
3. one or more final zeros used after the decimal point are always significant... example: 0.5600 .. there are 4 significant numbers, (the five, the six, and the two zeros at the end of the number according to this rule)
4. zeros used solely for the purpose of spacing for the decimal point are not significant (the zeros are placeholders to give the number its value) ...example: 0.035.. there are only two significant digits in this number (the three and the five) the zero is not considered significant.
operations with significant digits:
1. multiplication and division-the answer must have the same number of significant digits as the number with the fewest significant digits... example: 6.78 x 3.906 x 11= 291.30948... the number with the least significant digits is 11 (it has two) so your answer must have only two significant digits the correct answer would be 290. (only 2 and 9 are significant)
2. addition and subtraction-the answer should be as precise as the least precise number (it must have the same number of decimal places)...example: 12.5 + 145.7 + 79.0 + 38.438=276.68.. the least precise number has only one decimal place therefore your answer in significant digits is 275.6
***significant figures is the same thing as significant digits.. sorry i have a habit of saying significant digits so i used that instead :$
hope that helps and tell me if you need more help.. or if i wasnt clear on anything
wooow that took me 40minutes...