Significant Figures - Yes im a retard - please help? (1 Viewer)

[Lucas_]

Hi

Yes, you may think I'm a blockhead but I have never fully understood this simple concept. Does anybody wana have a shot using examples? Thanks + rep

 

[qwerty44]

 

[qwerty44]

Maybe this example helps?

 

[Timske]

All non-zero digits are considered significant. For example, 91 has two significant figures (9 and 1), while 123.45 has five significant figures (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5).

Zeros appearing anywhere between two non-zero digits are significant. Example: 101.12 has five significant figures: 1, 0, 1, 1 and 2.

Leading zeros are not significant. For example, 0.00052 has two significant figures: 5 and 2.

Trailing zeros in a number containing a decimal point are significant. For example, 12.2300 has six significant figures: 1, 2, 2, 3, 0 and 0. The number 0.000122300 still has only six significant figures (the zeros before the 1 are not significant). In addition, 120.00 has five significant figures since it has three trailing zeros. This convention clarifies the precision of such numbers; for example, if a measurement precise to four decimal places (0.0001) is given as 12.23 then it might be understood that only two decimal places of precision are available. Stating the result as 12.2300 makes clear that it is precise to four decimal places (in this case, six significant figures).

The number 0 has one significant figure.

Wiki

 

[Leffife]

Hey, well significant figures -__- is straight forward,

Eg,
Basic:
Round 5291 to 3 significant figures
= 5290

Intermediate:
Round 0.2282381 to 5 significant figures
= 0.22824

etc...

 

[Nooblet94]

I found the easiest way to learn it at first is to convert it to scientific notation using a calculator and then use the first n digits if you're rounding to n significant figures. Obviously once you get better at it you don't need to actually use a calculator and you can just do it in your head.