Significant Figures

and
Scientific Notation
Engr. Lawrence B. Leocadio
Scientific Notation
- A method for expressing and working with
very large or very small numbers.
- It is a short hand method for writing
numbers and an easy method for
calculations.
 Parts of Scientific Notation

Coefficient Base Exponent

1. The coefficient must be greater than or equal to 1 and

less than 10.
2. The base must be 10.
3. The exponent must show the number of decimal
places that the decimal needs to be moved to change
the number to standard notation. A negative exponent
means that the decimal is moved from left to standard
notation.
• The measuring device determines the number
of significant figures a measurement has.
• Significant figures reflect the accuracy of a
result or measurement.
• We need:
– to determine the correct number of significant
figures (sig figs) to record in a measurement
– to count the number of sig figs in a recorded value
– to determine the number of sig figs that should be
retained in a calculation.
What values are shown below?
Significant Figures
Figure TA 1.2

Significant figures - all digits in a number

representing data or results that are known
Copyright © 2001 T he McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Permission required for reproduction or display.

with certainty plus one uncertain digit.

• Why is it difficult to be certain about some
of the measurements you make?

– All measurements have SOME DEGREE OF

UNCERTAINTY due to limits associated with
the measuring device.

– Generally, uncertainty begins with the LAST

DIGIT of the measurement.
• In a measurement, ALL THE DIGITS
KNOWN FOR CERTAIN plus the first
ESTIMATED DIGIT are known as the
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES of the
measurement.
• It is generally accepted that when a
measurement is given, ALL NON-ZERO
DIGITS are considered SIGNIFICANT.
For example 175.4 grams
Digits known First estimated digit.
for certain.
 The Problem with Zero
• While all NON-ZERO DIGITS are
considered significant, ZEROS present a
particular problem.
– Zeros can be measurements
– Zeros can be place holders

• How do you decide whether or not a zero

is significant?
 Rules
of
Significant
Figures
Which numbers are
Significant?
How to count them!
•Any digit that is not zero is significant
1.234 kg 4 significant figures
•Zeros between nonzero digits are significant
606 m 3 significant figures
•Zeros to the left of the first nonzero digit are not significant
0.08 L 1 significant figure
•If a number is greater than 1, then all zeros to the right of the
decimal point are significant
2.0 mg 2 significant figures
•If whole numbers have zeros to the right with NO DECIMAL
then all zeros to the right are NOT significant
560 mg 2 significant figures
•If a number is less than 1, then only the zeros that are at the
end and in the middle of the number are significant
0.00420 g 3 significant figures 1.8
 Non-Zero integers
• Always count as significant figures

1235 has 4 significant digits

 Zeros – there are 3 types
Leading zeros (place holders)
The first significant figure in a
measurement is the first digit other than
zero counting from left to right
0.0045g
(4 is the 1st sig. fig.)
“0.00” are place holders.
The zeros are not significant
Captive zeros

Zeros within a number at always significant

– 30.0809 g
All digits are significant
Trailing zeros – at the end of numbers but to the right of the
decimal point

2.00 g - has 3 sig. digits (what this means is

that the measuring instrument can measure exactly to
two decimal places.

100 m has 1 sig. digit

Zeros are significant if a number contains decimals

 Exact Numbers
Are numbers that are not obtained by
measuring

Referred to as counting numbers

EX : 12 apples, 100 people
 Exact Numbers
Also arise by definition

1” = 2.54 cm or 12 in. = 1 foot

Are referred to as conversion factors that

allow for the expression of a value using
two different units
NOTE

If the number is in SCIENTIFIC NOTATION only

consider the COEFFICIENT when determining
Significant Figures.

Example 4.965 x 1016

 Significant Figures
• Any known value such as conversions
(1minute = 60 seconds) have an infinite
number of sig figs. Do not pay attention to
them when determining sig figs!

• There will be many instances which fall

under this category as we go through the
year in chemistry! PAY ATTENTION!
Practice
How many significant figures are in
the following?
3.400 4 sig figs

3004 4 sig figs

300. 3 sig figs

0.003040 4 sig figs

4000 1 sig fig

 How many significant figures are in
each of the following measurements?
24 mL 2 significant figures

3001 g 4 significant figures

0.0320 m3 3 significant figures

6.4 x 104 molecules 2 significant figures

560 kg 2 significant figures

1.8
Determine how many figures are significant
in each of these measurements:
1. 375 2. 89.000
3. -0.00032 4. 4300
5. 12.0900 6. 0.00003200
7. 900001 8. 2.34 x 104
9. -0.000212000 10. 4002000
_
 Math Problems w/Sig Figs

When combining measurements with

different degrees of accuracy and
precision, the accuracy of the final
answer can be no greater than the least
accurate measurement.
 Adding and Subtracting Sig.
Figures
This principle can be translated into a simple
rule for addition and subtraction:

When measurements are added or

subtracted, the answer can contain no
more decimal places than the least
accurate measurement.
 Significant Figures

Adding and subtracting sig figs - your

answer must be limited to the value
with the greatest uncertainty.
 Significant Figures
Addition or Subtraction
The answer cannot have more digits to the right of the decimal
point than any of the original numbers.
89.332
+1.1 one significant figure after decimal point
90.432 round off to 90.4

3.70 two significant figures after decimal point

-2.9133
0.7867 round off to 0.79

1.8
 Line up decimals and Add

150.0 g H2O (using significant figures)

0.507 g salt 150.5 g solution
150.5 g solution

150.0 is the least precise so the answer will

have no more than one place to the right
of the decimal.
 Example
Answer will have the same number of decimal
places as the least precise measurement used.

12.11 cm
18.0 cm
1.013 cm
31.132 cm
9.62 cm
71.875 cm
Correct answer would be 71.9 cm – the last sig fig is “8”,
so you will round using only the first number to the right of
the last significant digit which is “7”.
 Significant Figures
Multiplication or Division
The number of significant figures in the result is set by the original
number that has the smallest number of significant figures
4.51 x 3.6666 = 16.536366 = 16.5

3 sig figs round to

3 sig figs

6.8 ÷ 112.04 = 0.0606926 = 0.061

2 sig figs round to

2 sig figs
1.8
 Multiplication and Division
Answer will be rounded to the same number
of significant figures as the component
with the fewest number of significant
figures.

4.56 cm x 1.4 cm = 6.38 cm2

= 6.4 cm2
28.0 inches 2.54 cm
x 1 inch = 71.12 cm

Computed measurement is 71.12 cm

Answer is 71.1 cm
 When both addition/subtraction and
multiplication/division appear in the same problem

• In addition/subtraction the number of significant digits is

limited by the value of greatest uncertainty.

• In multiplication/division, the number of significant digits is

limited by the value with the fewest significant digits.

• Since the rules are different for each type of operation, when
they both occur in the same problem,

– complete the first operation and establish the correct

number of significant digits.

– Then proceed with the second and set the final answer
according to the correct number of significant digits based
on that operation
(1.245 + 6.34 + 8.179)/7.5

• Add
1.245 + 6.34 + 8.179 =

Then divide by 7.5 =

 Rounding Numbers
• To express answer in correctly

• Only use the first number to the right of the

last significant digit
 Rounding
• Always carry the extra digits through to the
final result
• Then round
EX:
Answer is 1.331 rounds to 1.3
OR
1.356 rounds to 1.4
 Significant Figures
Rounding off sig figs (significant figures):

Rule 1: If the first non-sig fig is less than 5, drop all non-sig
fig.
Rule 2: If the first sig fig is 5, or greater that 5, increase the
last sig fig by 1 and drop all non-sig figs.

Round off each of the following to 3 significant figures:

12.514748 12.5 0.6015261 0.602

192.49032 192 14652.832 14,700
 Significant Figures
Multiplication and division of sig figs - your answer must
be limited to the measurement with the least number of
sig figs.
5.15 3 sig figs
X 2.3 2 sig figs
11.845 only allowed 2 sig figs
so 11.845 5 sig fig
is rounded to 12 2 sig figs