Section 2.

5
Significant Figures

Significant Figures

• Numbers that measure or contribute to our accuracy.

• The more significant figures we have the more accurate
our measurement.
• Significant figures are determined by our measurement
device or technique.

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Section 2.5
Significant Figures

Rules of Determining the Number of Significant Figures

1. All non-zero digits are significant.

234 = 3 sig figs 1.333 = 4 sig figs 1,234.2 = 5 sig figs

2. All zeros between non-zero digits are

significant.

203 = 3 sig figs 1.003 = 4 sig figs 1,030.2 = 5 sig figs

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Section 2.5
Significant Figures

Rules of Determining the Number of Significant Figures

3. All zeros to the right of the decimal and to the right of

the last non-zero digit are significant.

2.30 = 3 sig figs 1.000 = 4 sig figs 3.4500 = 5 sig figs

4. All zeros to the left of the first non-zero digit are NOT
significant.

0.0200 = 3 sig figs 0.1220 = 4 sig figs 0.000000012210 = 5 sig figs

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Section 2.5
Significant Figures

Rules of Determining the Number of Significant Figures

5. Zeros to the right of the first non-zero digit and to the

left of the decimal may or may not be significant.
They must be written in scientific notation.

2300 = 2.3 x 103 or 2.30 x 103 or 2.300 x 103

2 sig figs 3 sig figs 4 sig figs

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Section 2.5
Significant Figures

Rules of Determining the Number of Significant Figures

6. Some numbers have infinite significant figures or are

exact numbers.

233 people 14 cats (unless in biology lab)

7 cars on the highway 36 schools in town

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Section 2.5
Significant Figures

Exact Numbers
Exact numbers are
 those numbers obtained by counting items.
 those numbers in a definition comparing two units in
the same measuring system.
 not measured and do not affect the number of
significant figures in a calculated answer.

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Section 2.5
Significant Figures

How many significant figures are in each of the following?

1) 23.34 4 significant figures

2) 21.003 5 significant figures

3) .0003030 4 significant figures

4) 210 2 or 3 significant figures

5) 200 students infinite significant figures

6) 3000 1, 2, 3, or 4 significant figures

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Section 2.5
Significant Figures
How many significant figures does each of the following
numbers have?
scientific notation # of Sig
Figs.
1. 413.97 4.1397 × 102 5
2. 0.0006 6 × 10–4 1
3. 5.120063 5.120063 7
4. 161,000 1.61 × 105 3
5. 3600 3.6 × 103 2

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8
Section 2.5
Significant Figures

Using Significant Figures in Calculations

Addition and Subtraction

1. Line up the decimals.
2. Add or subtract.
3. Round off to first full column.

23.345 +14.5 + 0.523 = ?

23.345
14.5
+ 0.523
38.368 = 38.4 or three significant figures
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Section 2.5
Significant Figures

Using Significant Figures in Calculations

Multiplication and Division

1. Do the multiplication or division.
2. Round answer off to the same number of
significant figures as the least number in the
data.

(23.345)(14.5)(0.523) = ? 177.0368075

= 177 or three significant figures

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Section 2.5
Significant Figures

Rules for Rounding Off

1. If the digit to be removed is less than 5, the
preceding digit stays the same.
 5.64 rounds to 5.6 (if final result to 2 sig figs)

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Section 2.5
Significant Figures

Rules for Rounding Off

1. If the digit to be removed is equal to or greater
than 5, the preceding digit is increased by 1.
 5.64 rounds to 5.6 (if final result to 2 sig figs)
 3.861 rounds to 3.9 (if final result to 2 sig figs)

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Section 2.5
Significant Figures

Rules for Rounding Off

2. In a series of calculations, do within the
parenthesis first and determine the significant
figures and use that answer to calculate and
find the significant figures after the
multiplication and/or division.

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Section 2.5
Significant Figures
Round each of the following to 3 significant figures. Use
scientific notation where needed.

1. 37.459 37.5 or 3.75 × 101

2. 5431978 5.43 × 106
3. 132.7789003 133 or 1.33 × 102
4. 0.00087564 8.76 × 10–4
5. 7.665 7.67

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14
Rounding in Multistep Calculations
• To avoid rounding errors in multistep calculations
round only the final answer.

• Do not round intermediate steps. If you write down

intermediate answers, keep track of significant
figures by underlining the least significant digit.
 Your Turn!
Give the value of the following calculation to the correct number of
significant figures.

 635.4  0.0045 
 
 2.3589 

A. 1.21213
B. 1.212
C. 1.212132774
D. 1.2
E. 1
16
 Your Turn!
For the following calculation, give the answer to the
correct number of significant figures.
(14.5 cm  12.334 cm)
(2.223 cm  1.04 cm)
A. 179 cm2
2
B. 1.18 cm (178.843 cm )
C. 151.2 cm (1.183 cm)
D. 151 cm
E. 178.843 cm2
Section 2.6
Problem Solving and Dimensional Analysis

Example #1

A golfer putted a golf ball 6.8 ft across a green. How

many inches does this represent?

• To convert from one unit to another, use the

equivalence statement that relates the two units.
1 ft = 12 in
The two unit factors are:
1 ft 12 in
and
12 in 1 ft

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Section 2.6
Problem Solving and Dimensional Analysis

Example #1

A golfer putted a golf ball 6.8 ft across a green. How

many inches does this represent?

• Choose the appropriate conversion factor by looking at

the direction of the required change (make sure the
unwanted units cancel).

12 in
6.8 ft   in
1 ft

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Section 2.6
Problem Solving and Dimensional Analysis

Example #1

A golfer putted a golf ball 6.8 ft across a green. How

many inches does this represent?

• Multiply the quantity to be converted by the conversion

factor to give the quantity with the desired units.

12 in
6.8 ft   82 in
1 ft

• Correct sig figs? Does my answer make sense?

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Dimensional Analysis Method of Solving Problems

1. Determine which unit conversion factor(s) are needed

2. Carry units through calculation
3. If all units cancel except for the desired unit(s), then the
problem was solved correctly.

given quantity x conversion factor = desired quantity

desired unit
given unit x = desired unit
given unit

21
 Using Dimensional Analysis
Ex. How to convert a person’s height from 68.0 in to cm?
 Start with fact
2.54 cm = 1 in.

2.54and
cm 1 in.
1 in. 2.54 cm

22
 Using Dimensional Analysis
 multiply original number by conversion factor that cancels old
units & leaves new
Given × Conversion = Desired
Quantity Factor Quantity
2.54 cm
68.0 in.  = 173 cm
1 in.
 Dimensional analysis can tell us when we have done wrong
arithmetic
1 in.
68.0 in.  = 26.8 in2/cm
2.54 cm
 Units not correct
23
Section 2.6
Problem Solving and Dimensional Analysis

Example #2

An iron sample has a mass of 4.50 lb. What is the

mass of this sample in grams?
(1 kg = 2.2046 lbs; 1 kg = 1000 g)

1 kg 1000 g
4.50 lbs   = 2.04  103 g
2.2046 lbs 1 kg

454 g
OR 4.50 lbs x -------------- = 2043g = 2.04x10 3 g
1 lb

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