sig figs urgent question!

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Jackie Ngo 1C
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Joined: Fri Sep 29, 2017 7:06 am

sig figs urgent question!

Postby Jackie Ngo 1C » Thu Oct 04, 2018 11:39 pm

Hello! I have a quick general question on significant figures. If 0.001 has one sig fig, and 1.00 has three sig figs, how many sig figs would 1.001 have? Would you ignore the 0's in between the two 1's and say it has 2 sig figs, or would you take it into consideration and call it 4 sig figs? Thank you so much for your time!

Jovian Cheung 1K
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:16 am

Re: sig figs urgent question!

Postby Jovian Cheung 1K » Thu Oct 04, 2018 11:42 pm

Last edited by Jovian Cheung 1K on Thu Oct 04, 2018 11:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.

yaosamantha4F
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Re: sig figs urgent question!

Postby yaosamantha4F » Thu Oct 04, 2018 11:46 pm

1.001 has 4 significant figures!

A trick I use to remember which numbers to count as sig figs is the the Atlantic/Pacific analogy. If there's a decimal point present, start from the left (since the Pacific ocean is on the left/west coast of the US) and count starting from the first non-zero number. If a decimal point is absent, start from the right (the Atlantic ocean is on the right/east coast) and count starting from the first non-zero number. Make sure that you count the zeros between any non-zero digits as significant figures!

Karina Jiayu Xu 4E
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:29 am

Re: sig figs urgent question!

Postby Karina Jiayu Xu 4E » Fri Oct 05, 2018 12:09 am

1.001 would have 4 significant figures. As the last post says, it depends on whether there's a decimal or not. For example, 100 has only 1 significant figure, but 100. has 3.

hazelyang2E
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:23 am

Re: sig figs urgent question!

Postby hazelyang2E » Fri Oct 05, 2018 12:50 am

1.001 would have 4 sig figs because the two zeroes are in between two ones which are significant figures. Zeroes are not considered significant figures when they are the leading or ending digits in a number. For example, both of the numbers 0.001 or 100 only have one significant figure because the zeroes are at the beginning and end.

2c_britneyly
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:16 am

Re: sig figs urgent question!

Postby 2c_britneyly » Fri Oct 05, 2018 1:06 am

Zeros between digits other than zero are always considered significant. The way I like to think of it is that those zeros can't be removed without changing the value of the number.

Tri Nhan Nguyen 4H
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Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2017 3:01 am

Re: sig figs urgent question!

Postby Tri Nhan Nguyen 4H » Fri Oct 05, 2018 1:14 am

Leading zeros, such as the zeros in 0.001 don't count as sig figs, while trailing zeros, such as the zeros in 1.00 do count (when preceded by a decimal point). Anything in between two non-zero numbers such as the zeros in 1.001 count as well!
So just remember if it's a leading zero it's not a significant figure!

Jessica Pham_4B
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Joined: Wed Nov 15, 2017 3:00 am

Re: sig figs urgent question!

Postby Jessica Pham_4B » Fri Oct 05, 2018 1:45 am

It is necessary to count the numbers between the non-zero as well so in this case you have 4 sig figs, we can practice sig figs later if you want Jackie :) I have a worksheet my TA gave me that helped a lot which I can share with you.

daisyjimenezt
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:26 am

Re: sig figs urgent question!

Postby daisyjimenezt » Fri Oct 05, 2018 6:09 pm

It would have 4 sig figs because the zeros are "embedded zeros" which are always significant.

Pritish Patil 1K
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Re: sig figs urgent question!

Postby Pritish Patil 1K » Sat Oct 06, 2018 6:18 pm

In this case, the two zeros in the number would be considered significant because they are between two other significant figures. This results in the entire number in having a total of four significant figures.

Katherine Grillo 1B
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:28 am

Re: sig figs urgent question!

Postby Katherine Grillo 1B » Fri Oct 12, 2018 3:35 am

Zeros between non zero digits are always significant

sarahartzell1A
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Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:17 am

Re: sig figs urgent question!

Postby sarahartzell1A » Fri Oct 12, 2018 8:22 am

There are 4 significant figures because the zeros are in between 1s which are sig figs.

904837647
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Joined: Tue May 01, 2018 3:00 am

Re: sig figs urgent question!

Postby 904837647 » Fri Oct 12, 2018 8:45 am

When there is a decimal in the number always count from left to right starting with the non zero number, any zero in between the nonzeros should still be accounted for. However, if there is no decimal then count from right to left starting with the first non zero number.


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