GRADE 7- SCIENCE

SPECIAL SCIENCE CURRICULUM

SIGNIFICANT FIGURES

Background Information of the Learners:

Significant figures indicate the accuracy of a measurement.

For example: Look at the ruler below:

 Each line is 0.1cm

 You can read that the arrow is on 13.3 cm

 However, using significant figures, you must estimate the next digit

 That would give you 13.30 cm

Let’s try this one, Look at the ruler below:

 What can you read before you estimate?

 12.8 cm

 Now estimate the next digit? 12.85 cm

The same rules apply with all instruments

 The same rules apply

 Read to the last digit that you know

 Estimate the final digit

Let’s try graduated cylinders

Reminder: Practice personal hygiene protocols at all times.

  Look at the graduated cylinder below

 What can you read with confidence?

 56 ml

 Now estimate the last digit

 56.0 ml

Rule in finding the number of significant figures.

1. All non-zero digits are ALWAYS significant.

Examples:

274 - 3 Significant Figures

25.632 - 5 Significant Figures
8.987 - 4 Significant Figures

2. All zeros between significant digits are ALWAYS significant.

Examples:

504 - 3 Significant figures

60002 - 5 Significant figures
9.077 - 4 Significant figures

3. Zeros between the first non-zero digit are not significant. These are called leading zeros.

Examples:

0.327 - 3 Significant figures

0.3008 - 4 Significant figures * Zeros before the non-zero digit ( 1-9 ) are
0.0046351 - 5 Significant figures not significant.

4. Zeros after the last nonzero digit may or may not be significant. These are called trailing zeros.
A. If there is a decimal point in the number, all trailing zeros are significant.

Reminder: Practice personal hygiene protocols at all times.

 Examples:
341.20 - 5 Significant figures
46.0 - 3 Significant figures
80.0 - 3 Significant figures
0.30 - 2 Significant figures

B. If there is no decimal point in the number, all trailing zeros are NOT significant.

Examples
50 - 1 Significant figure
100 - 1 Significant figure *Zeros at the end of a non-zero digit ( 1- 9)
420 - 2 Significant figures are not significant if there is no decimal
4030700 - 5 Significant Figures point

5. All counting numbers and constants have an infinite number of significant digits

For example:
1 hour = 60 minutes
12 inches = 1 foot
24 hours = 1 day

Learning Competency with Code:

Apply concepts of significant figures, scientific notations , conversion of units in measurement in

conducting investigation (Quarter I, Week 2 ,SSP-S7MT-Ib-3)

Reminder: Practice personal hygiene protocols at all times.