Significant figures Clarification [ENDORSED]

[Carlos Gonzales 1H]

Let's say that in a question you are given a value with 3 significant figures. Would you have to go to 3 significant figures after every calculation? Or would you round at the very end of all the calculations?

[Justin Bui 2L]

I think it would be safer to keep a lot of sig figs (more than 3 in your example) and then at the end, round it to 3 sig figs so that the calculations will be as accurate as possible. Sometimes it might not make a difference but it is more accurate.

[Carlos Gonzales 1H]

Oh I see, so if I come up with a number that has, say 7 digits, I'd go to maybe 4 for the rest of the calculations and then at the end go to 3 significant figures?

[Dang Lam]

What I would do is that I would write down all the digits in the first calculation and carry them all the way down to the final answer. Then I round it