Sig Figs in the Middle of a Problem
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Sig Figs in the Middle of a Problem
Does anyone know if we should follow sig fig rules in the middle of a problem or only round to the nearest significant digit once you get the final answer.
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Re: Sig Figs in the Middle of a Problem
My TA said that you can wait to round the sig figs until the end because if you round in the middle of a calculation, it could mess up your final answer (but if you do use the proper sig figs during the calculation and do everything right, even if your answer is off a little you still get the points). It's really up to you because you might also forget to round to the correct sigfig at the end.
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Re: Sig Figs in the Middle of a Problem
My TA also recommended using as many digits as possible during the calculation to avoid any rounding errors and use sig figs for the final answer
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Re: Sig Figs in the Middle of a Problem
It is better to round off at the end of the problem, instead of in the middle of a calculation, to ensure accuracy. Use as many digits as possible in the middle of a calculation and just carry those numbers over until you're at the end of the problem.
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Re: Sig Figs in the Middle of a Problem
It's better to not use sig figs until the very end of the problem! That will improve the accuracy of your answer.
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Re: Sig Figs in the Middle of a Problem
Although most of the time it doesn't have a drastic difference, it's better to apply significant figures for the final answer only. This way, your final answer can be more accurate, since no numbers were rounded in the process. Hope this helps!
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Re: Sig Figs in the Middle of a Problem
I would suggest waiting until the very end to round to the nearest sig fig. That way you still get the most accurate answer.
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Re: Sig Figs in the Middle of a Problem
Wait until the end, and even if you're a small amount off, you won't get marked down.
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Re: Sig Figs in the Middle of a Problem
By using significant figures only in your final answer, you reduce the chance of creating rounding errors. Be sure to use your scientific calculator for calculations and use the unrounded numbers until you get to your final answer, which you should use significant figures for.
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