Determining sig figs
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Determining sig figs
Is there a difference in sig figs for 100g of something versus 100.g of something? How can you tell which numbers are significant?
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Re: Determining sig figs
Yes, there is a difference. 100g of something only has one significant figure. 100.g of something has three significant figures. Zeros after a number are significant if there is a decimal point. Examples:
0.0100 --> three significant figures
0.01 --> one significant figure
100.0 --> four significant figures
1000 --> one significant figure
0.0100 --> three significant figures
0.01 --> one significant figure
100.0 --> four significant figures
1000 --> one significant figure
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Re: Determining sig figs
The reason why 100 only has one significant figure is due to the fact that zeros that only hold places are not considered to be significant.
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Re: Determining sig figs
The difference is that 100 grams of something has 1 significant figure, while 100. grams of something has 3 significant figures. This is because the decimal point shows that the number is exact.
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Re: Determining sig figs
Decimal points will tell you how precise a number we are measuring. Looking at the number 100, you don't really know for sure whether 100 is an estimate or not- perhaps it was obtained by rounding up or down from a different number, but you don't really know for sure. On the other hand, 100. tells you that the number is exactly 100 with no estimation. Hope that helps!
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Re: Determining sig figs
There's no difference between 100g and 100.g, but there is a difference between 100g and 100.0g or 100.00g. The zeros that follow the decimal point are significant
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Re: Determining sig figs
I have a question. So, if you are given a problem that has one value with 3 sig figs and another value of 4 sig figs, would you express your final answer using 3 or 4 sig figs? Would the amount of sig figs used change if there's more values given with 3 or 4 sig figs??? Sorry for asking.
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Re: Determining sig figs
Will the number of sig figs determine if our answer is correct or incorrect?
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Re: Determining sig figs
I think if we don't have the correct sig. fig. the points will be deducted even if you have correct answers.
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