CHEMISTRY

Significant Figures
Significant Figures
Digits No. of Significant Digits
341.68 5
321 3
0.0042 2
0.01 1
34007 5
0.03502 4
47.000 5
390.05 5
60000 1
 Significant Figures
• The total number of digits used to
express such a measurement.

The significant figures in a measurement

include all of the digits that are
known, plus one last digit that is
estimated.
The number of significant figures
increases the precision of a thing
being measured.
How do significant figures work?

I1. . . . l . . . . l2. . . . I . . . . I3. . . . I . . . . I4 cm

First digit (known) = 2 2.?? cm

Second digit (known) = 0.7 2.7? cm
Third digit (estimated) between 0.05- 0.08 cm
Length reported = 2.77 cm
or 2.76 cm
or 2.78 cm
Determining Significant Figures

Rule no. 1

• Every non-zero digit in a reported

measurement is significant.

• 791.22 five significant digits

• 553 three significant digits
Determining Significant Figures

Rule no. 2

• Leftmost zeros before the first non-

zero are not significant; they only act
as placeholder to show the position
of the decimal point.

• 0.086 two significant digits

• 0.0004 one significant digit
Determining Significant Figures

Rule no. 3

• Zeros in between non-zeros are

significant.

• 0.005005 four significant digits

• 46 073 five significant digits
Determining Significant Figures

Rule no. 4

• Zeros to the right of a non-zero digit

and to the right of a decimal point
are significant.

• 36.00 four significant digits

• 0.380 three significant digits
• 310.002 six significant digits
Determining Significant Figures

Rule no. 5

• Zeros at the end of a number and to

the left of a decimal point are not
significant unless converted into a
scientific notation.

• 432 000 three significant digits

• 1 000 one significant digit
→ 1.000x103 four significant digits
 Check your understanding!

State the number of significant figures in each

of the following:
a. 0.030 m 1 2 3
b. 4.050 L 2 3 4
c. 0.0008 g 1 2 4
d. 3.00 m 1 2 3
e. 2,080,000 bees 3 5 7
THE CORRECT ANSWER
 Check your understanding!

State the number of significant figures in each

of the following:
a. 0.030 m 1 2 3
b. 4.050 L 2 3 4
c. 0.0008 g 1 2 4
d. 3.00 m 1 2 3
e. 2,080,000 bees 3 5 7
Using Significant Figures in Mathematical
Operations

In addition or subtraction, the number

with the least number of decimal
places will dictate the number of
decimal places in the answer.

14.7 • The answer is

+ 2.028 rounded off to 16. 7
= 16.728 because the least
number of decimal
places is one.
Using Significant Figures in Mathematical
Operations

In multiplication or division, the number

with the least number of significant
digits will determine the number of
significant digits in the answer.

65.02 • The answer is

3.87 rounded off to three
x 0.250 significant digits.
Thus the answer is,
= 62.90685 62.9.
 Check your understanding!

Try to solve the given problems. Express the

final answer in the correct number of
significant digits.
1. 2.
57.14 1 008.67
- 29.5 52.83
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Then if you’re done and confident enough
prepare your self for the following quizzes.
God Bless…