IDENTIFYING SIGNIFICANT DIGITS

STANDARD

• The standard for identifying significant digits is,"identify the number of significant digits in a scientific measurement.

QUESTION OF THE DAY

• Q: "WHAT IS A SIGNIFICANT DIGIT?"

QUESTION OF THE DAY

• A: The significant digits in a measurement are all the digits known from the instrument scale plus one estimated digit.

RULE #1

• Significant digits only apply to measured data, which is counted or pure numbers
• Examples: 5, one pair, pi, the square root of 5

RULE #2

• All non-zero digits in measured data are significant.
• Example: In the number 11.54, there are 4 significant digits.

RULE #3

• All zeros between non-zero digits are significant.
• Example: 15.06 has 4 significant digits

RULE #4

• Decimal points define significant zeros.
• Example: 0.50 has 2 significant digits

RULE #5

• Significant zeros in the one's place are followed by a decimal point.
• Example: 110. has 3 significant digits

VIDEO

• Here is a video for identifying significant digits:

PROBLEMS

• Find how many SD there is.
• 1. 12.547
• 2. 1509.09
• 3. 1800
• 4. 0.050

ANSWERS

• 1. 5 SD
• 2. 6 SD
• 3. 2 SD
• 4. 2 SD