Post on 26-Dec-2015
Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd
All non-zero digits in a number are significant figures.
NumberNumber of
significant figures
152 3
3.7 2
42.936 5
Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd
Zeroes that lie between non-zero digits are significant figures.
NumberNumber of
significant figures
801 3
2.005 4
76.035 5
Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd
Zeroes that lie on the right of a non-zero digit in a decimal are significant figures.
NumberNumber of
significant figures
0.30 2
3.00 3
159.40 5
Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd
Zeroes that lie on the left of a non-zero digit in a decimal less than 1 are
non-significant figures.
NumberNumber of
significant figures
0.04 1
0.002 00 3
0.000 076 2
Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd
Zeroes at the end of a whole number are non-significant figures except stated otherwise.
NumberNumber of
significant figures
40 1
128 000 3
500 300 4
Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd
Correct to three significant figures
5 327 Count three significant figures starting from left.
Step 1:
Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd
2
> 5
• If it is 5 or more add 1 to the figure on the left.
Check the figure on the right of the line:
Step 2:+ 1
Correct to three significant figures
35 73
If it is less than 5 do not change the figure on the left.
Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd
Step 3:
Correct to three significant figures
735 3
Replace the figure on the right side of the line with “0”.
0
Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd
Correct to two significant figures
42.08 Count two significant figures starting from left.
Step 1:
Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd
< 5
42.08
Correct to two significant figures
• If it is 5 or more add 1 to the figure on the left.
Check the figures on the right of the line:
Step 2:
If it is less than 5 do not change the figure on the left.
Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd
42.08 42
Keep all the figures on the left side of the line.
Step 3:
Correct to two significant figures
Replace all the figures on the right side of the line with “0”.
Pearson Malaysia Sdn Bhd
42.08 42
We need two significant figures, thus do not put “0” after the decimal as it will be counted as extra significant figures.
Correct to two significant figures