Significant Digits or “Figures”

• How to recognize significant figures when:

– Taking a measurement

– Reading a measurement

– Performing a calculation
Accuracy and Precision in Measurements

Accuracy: how close a measurement is

to the accepted value.

Precision: how close a series of

measurements are to one another or
how far out a measurement is taken.

A measurement can have high precision,

but not be as accurate as a less precise one.
Significant Figures are used to indicate the precision of a
measured number or to express the precision of a
calculation with measured numbers.

In any measurement
the digit farthest to
the right is considered
to be estimated.

0 1 2
2.0
1.3
Question For Thought
Using two different rulers, I measured the width
of my hand to be 4.5 centimeters and 4.54
centimeters. Explain the difference between
these two measurements.
The first measurement implies that my hand is
somewhere between 4.5 and 4.9 cm long.
There is a uncertainty in this number because
we have to estimate.
The second measurement implies that my
hand is between 4.5 and 4.6 cm long. This
measurement is more certain due to its
greater precision.
 2 significant
4.5 cm Uncertain
figures

3 significant More certain

4.54 cm due to greater
figures
precision

Significant figures are necessary to reduce

uncertainty in our measurements.

Significant figures indicate the

precision of the measured value!!
 Significant Figures
• Scientist use significant figures to determine how
precise a measurement is

• Significant digits in a measurement include all of

the known digits plus one estimated digit

• So when reading an instrument…

– Read instrument to the last digit that you know
– Estimate or “eyeball” the final digit
 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
 Try this
• What is the difference between 4.0g and
4.00g?
Answer:
 Rounding Off Numbers
• a. If the number to be dropped is exactly 5 and the preceding number is
odd (1,3,5..) then plus 1 to the preceding number.
• 15.55 = 15.6; 11.375 = 11.38
• b. If the number to be dropped is exactly 5 and the preceding number is
even (4,6, 8….) the preceding number remains unchanged.
• 15.565 = 15.56; 19.885 = 19.88; 10.225 = 10.22
• c. If the number to be dropped is more than 5, then plus 1 to the
preceding number either even or odd:
• 11.646 = 11.65;123.459 = 123.46; 188.667 = 188.67
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
 For Example:

5.50 grams 52.09 ml

+ 8.6 grams - 49.7 ml
-------- -------------
2.39 ml --> 2.4 ml
14.1 grams
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
• 56.78 cm x 2.45cm = 139.111 cm2

–Round to 3 sig figs = 139cm2

•75.8cm x 9.6cm = ?
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
Recognizing # Sig Figs in a Number

274 __3____Significant Figures

25.632 ___5___Significant Digits

8.987 ___4___Significant Figures

•

• How many significant digits are in the

following numbers?

504 ____4____ Significant Figures

60002 ___5_____ Significant Digits

9.077 ____4____ Significant Figures

•

• How many significant digits are in the

following numbers?

32.0 __3____Significant Figures

19.000 ___5___Significant Digits

105.0020 ___7___Significant Figures

How many significant digits are in the following numbers?

0.0002 __1___Significant Digit

6.02 x 1023 ___3__Significant Digits
100.000 __6___Significant Digits
150000 __2___Significant Digits
800 _1,2,3____Significant
Digits
• 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
How many significant digits are in the
following numbers?
0.0073 _______________
100.020 _______________
2500 _______________
7.90 x 10-3 _______________
670.0 _______________
0.00001 _______________
18.84 _______________
 Now let’s do some math.....
(round answers to correct sig figs!)

5.0033 g + 1.55 g

• answer: 6.55 g

Did you need to count sig

figs? NO!
 Now try these...

5.0033 g / 5.0 ml

• answer: 1.0 g/ml

Did you have to

count sig figs?
• YES!
 Here’s a tougher one.....
3.0 C/s x 60 s/min x 60 min/hr =

• answer: 10800 C/hr rounds to 11000 C/hr

Note:
Standard conversion factors never limit sig.
figures- instruments and equipment do.
 Try this
• 1. (5.00 / 1.235) + 3.000 + (6.35/4.0) =
• 2. (0.0045 x 20,000.0) + (2813 x12)=
• 3. 863 x [1255 – (3.45 x108)] =
 Try this
• 1. (5.00 / 1.235) + 3.000 + (6.35/4.0)
• 2. (0.0055 x 20,000.0) + (2813 x12)=
• 3. 863 x [1255 – (3.45 x108)] =
 Scientific Notation
• Scientific notation is used to express very large
or very small numbers

• It consists of a number between 1 & 10

followed by x 10 to an exponent

• Exponent can be determined by the number

of decimal places you have to move to get
only 1 number in front of the decimal
Scientific Notation
Scientific Notation
Scientific Notation
 Scientific Notation Examples
Place the following numbers in scientific notation
Note: all sig figs from the original number must be present!
99.343 ______________

4000.1 ______________

0.000375 ______________

0.0234 ______________

94577.1 ______________
Going to Ordinary Notation Examples

Place the following numbers in ordinary notation:

3 x 106 ________________
6.26x 109 ________________
5 x 10-4 ________________
8.45 x 10-7 ________________
2.25 x 103 ________________