Sig figs and rounding
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Sig figs and rounding
Hi, do you round the final number when calculating for sig figs or just cut it off? Ex: if 3 sig figs are wanted and answer is 0.23675, would correct answer be .236 or .237
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Re: Sig figs and rounding
Hi, when it comes to significant figures, you will round the final number rather than just cutting it off. In the example you mentioned, the correct answer would be .237
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Re: Sig figs and rounding
You round up to 0.237 because the 7 that comes after 6 is greater than 5, meaning you round up.
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Re: Sig figs and rounding
Hi! You should always round only if the number after it is 5 or above. So in your example, the correct answer would be 0.237. I don't think significant figures change the rules of rounding.
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Re: Sig figs and rounding
Hi! Yes, you always round unless stated otherwise. But I highly doubt we would get a question that tells us not to on a test.
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Re: Sig figs and rounding
Hi! Whenever using a particular amount of significant figures, round the number rather than cutting off the remaining digits.
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Re: Sig figs and rounding
Anthony Stone 2C wrote:Hi, do you round the final number when calculating for sig figs or just cut it off? Ex: if 3 sig figs are wanted and answer is 0.23675, would correct answer be .236 or .237
I also have a quick question - Does it matter if we round throughout making calculations (mostly in the case of having values with many numbers after the decimal point), or should we save all rounding until we have an answer?
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Re: Sig figs and rounding
Amy Kalteis 3B wrote:Anthony Stone 2C wrote:Hi, do you round the final number when calculating for sig figs or just cut it off? Ex: if 3 sig figs are wanted and answer is 0.23675, would correct answer be .236 or .237
I also have a quick question - Does it matter if we round throughout making calculations (mostly in the case of having values with many numbers after the decimal point), or should we save all rounding until we have an answer?
Generally, saving all rounding until the final step would get you the most accurate answer, however, it isn't completely wrong to round during calculation steps.
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Re: Sig figs and rounding
Hi! For your final answer, you would round. Since they want 3 sig figs, your answer would be 0.237.
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Re: Sig figs and rounding
Anthony Stone 2C wrote:Hi, do you round the final number when calculating for sig figs or just cut it off? Ex: if 3 sig figs are wanted and answer is 0.23675, would correct answer be .236 or .237
I believe at that point, you would round the answer to .237
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Re: Sig figs and rounding
You would end up rounding to .237 because of the seven after the six in the original statement.
Re: Sig figs and rounding
you will round the final number rather than just cutting it off, leaving it to be 0.237
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