Significant Figures

Physics
 What is a significant figure?

• There are 2 kinds of

numbers:
–Exact: the amount of
money in your account.
Known with certainty.
What is a significant figure?

–Approximate: weight,
height—anything
MEASURED. No
measurement is perfect.
When to use Significant figures

• When a measurement is
recorded only those
digits that are
dependable are written
down.
When to use Significant figures

–If you measured the

width of a paper with
your ruler you might
record 21.5cm.
To a mathematician 21.50,
or 21.500 is the same.
 But, to a scientist 21.5cm and
21.50cm is NOT the same
• 21.500cm to a scientist
means the measurement
is accurate to within one
thousandth of a cm.
 But, to a scientist 21.5cm and
21.50cm is NOT the same
• If you used an ordinary
ruler, the smallest
marking is the mm, so
your measurement has
to be recorded as
21.5cm.
 Significant Figures in
Measurements
• The significant figures
in a measurement
include all of the digits
that are shown, plus one
last digit that is
estimated
 Centimeters and Millimeters

The reading is 41.75

We are certain of the 41.7 the 5 is an estimation
How do I know how many Sig Figs?

• Rule: All digits are

significant starting with
the first non-zero digit
on the left.
How do I know how many Sig Figs?
• Exception to rule: In
whole numbers that end
in zero, the zeros at the
end are not significant.
 How many sig figs?
• 17
• 140
• 10.5
• 10.00003
• 17 x 105
• 17,000,000
How do I know how many Sig Figs?
• 2nd Exception to rule: If
zeros are sandwiched
between non-zero digits,
the zeros become
significant.
How do I know how many Sig Figs?
• 3rd Exception to rule: If
zeros are at the end of a
number that has a
decimal, the zeros are
significant.
How do I know how many Sig Figs?
• 3rd Exception to rule:
These zeros are showing
how accurate the
measurement or
calculation are.
How many sig figs here?
• 2
1.2
• 2100
2
• 56.76
4
• 4.00
3
• 0.0792
3
• 7,083,000,000
4
How many sig figs here?
• 4
3401
• 2100
2
• 2100.0
5
• 5.00
3
• 0.00412
3
• 8,000,050,000
6
 Significant Digits
• It is better to represent 100 as 1.00 x 102
• This is especially useful when doing a long
calculation or for recording experimental results
• Don’t round your answer until the last step in a
calculation.(****IMPORTANT****)

• Note that a line overtop of a number indicates

that it repeats indefinitely. E.g. 9.6 = 9.6666…

• Similarly, 6.54 = 6.545454…

What about calculations with
sig figs?
• Rule: When adding or
subtracting measured
numbers, the answer can have
no more places after the
decimal than the LEAST of
the measured numbers.
 Add/Subtract examples
• 2.45cm + 1.2cm = 3.65cm,
• Round off to = 3.7cm

• 7.432cm + 2cm = 9.432

round to  9cm
 Adding with Significant Digits
• When adding or subtracting, the number of sig.
digits is determined by the sig. digit furthest to
the left when numbers are aligned according to
their decimal.
• E.g. a) 13.64 + 0.075 + 67 b) 267.8 – 9.36

13.64
+ 0.075 267.8
+ 67. – 9.36
81
80.715 258.44
 Multiplication and Division

• Rule: When multiplying

or dividing, the result
can have no more
significant figures than
the least reliable
measurement.
 A couple of examples
• 56.78 cm x 2.45cm = 139.111 cm2
• Round to  139cm2

• 75.8cm x 9.6cm = ?
 Multiplication and Division

• Determining sig. digits for questions

involving multiplication and division is
slightly different

• For these problems, your answer will

have the same number of significant
digits as the value with the fewest
number of significant digits.
 Multiplication and Division
E.g. a) 608.3 x 3.45
b) 4.8  392

a) 3.45 has 3 sig. digits, so the answer will

as well
608.3 x 3.45 = 2098.635 = 2.10 x 103

b) 4.8 has 2 sig. digits, so the answer will as

well
4.8  392 = 0.012245 = 0.012
or 1.2 x 10 – 2