Multiplying to get an integer in the empirical formula

[Dayna Pham 1I]

What’s the threshold of rounding up and down when calculating the empirical formula versus multiplying to get a whole number?

Is it 0.75 and up, round up; 0.25 and down, round down? When do we know to multiply to get a whole number for the empirical formula?

[Jayde Felix 4H]

I believe that you know to multiply to get a whole number as your final step in finding the empirical formula.

[Annalyn Diaz 1J]

For an empirical formula, the numbers must be whole numbers, not numbers like 1.33 or 2.5, etc. In such case that you don't get a whole number, you would multiply that by another number to make it whole. But to address your question regarding the threshold for rounding, I believe Dr. Lavelle mentioned that rounding up or down from a number is only acceptable if the rounded number is less than 5% error. hope this helps!

[Sarah Zhao 4C]

Multiply anything that isn't less than .2 away from a whole number

[Sarah Zhao 4C]

Multiply anything that isn't less than .2 away from a whole number