Raymond A.

Serway
Chris Vuille

Chapter One
Introduction: Basic mathematics for physics
 Introduction
• Powers of ten (prefixes)
• Prefix conversions
• Scientific notation
• SI units and Conversion of units
• Area, Volumes and Circumference
• Trig functions
 Prefixes
• Prefixes correspond to
powers of 10
• Each prefix has a specific
name
• Each prefix has a specific
abbreviation and a symbol
• See table 1.4 – textbook
 Prefixes
Examples
1) 1 megameter =1 Mm = 1 x 106 m
2) 1 kilogram =1 kg = 1 x 103 g
3) 1 centimeter =1 cm = 1 x 10-2 m
4) 1.4 kilometer=?=?
 Home-work
1) 0.3 nanometer =?=?m
2) ?=1.7 mg =?g
3) 6 ? = 6 x 10-6 s=?
4) 5 nanogram =?=?
 Uncertainty in Measurements
• There is uncertainty in every measurement, this
uncertainty carries over through the calculations
– Need a technique to account for this uncertainty
• We will use rules for significant figures to approximate
the uncertainty in the results of calculations

Section 1.4
 Significant Figures
• A significant figure is a reliably known digit
Rules:
• All non-zero digits are significant
• All zeros which are to the right of the decimal point and at the end of
the number are always significant
• All zeros between non-zeros numbers are significant
• Zeros are not significant when they only locate the decimal point
– Using scientific notion to indicate the number of significant figures removes
ambiguity when the possibility of misinterpretation is present

Section 1.4
How to Determine Significant Figures in a Problem
o Use the following rules: Rule #1
• Every nonzero digit is significant

Examples:
24 = 2
3.56 = 3
7 =1
 Rule #2 – Sandwiched 0’s

• Zeros between non-zeros are significant

Examples:
7003 = 4
40.9 = 3
 Rule #3 – Leading 0’s

• Zeros appearing in front of non-zero

digits are not significant
• Act as placeholders
• Can’t be dropped, show magnitude

Examples:
0.00024 = 2
0.453 =3
 Rule #4 – Trailing 0’s with DP

• Zeros at the end of a number and to the right of

a decimal point are significant.

Examples:
43.00 = 4
1.010 = 4
1.50 = 3
 Rule #5 – Trailing 0’s without DP

• Zeros at the end of a number and to the left of a

decimal point aren’t significant

Examples:
300 = 1
27.300 = ?
 Operations with Significant Figures
• When multiplying or dividing two or more quantities, the
number of significant figures in the result is the same as the
number of significant figures in the least accurate of the factors
being combined
– Least accurate means having the lowest number of significant figures
• When adding or subtracting, round the result to the smallest
number of decimal places of any term in the sum (or
difference)

Section 1.4
 Scientific notation
• Is a number from 1 to 9 followed by a decimal point (.) and the
remaining significant figures together with an exponential term
of base 10 with an integer (including zero) as an exponent.
– Express very large or very small numbers by employing powers of 10
– To avoid excessive use of zeros
 Basic Maths for Physics

 In science we encounter a lot of numbers that may

be :
too small - a lot of preceding zeros
e.g. 0,000000000000000000023

too large - a lot of trailing zeros

e.g. 23000000000000000000

 To simplify these numbers we write them in scientific

notation
 Rules of scientific notation
• When the decimal point is moved to the left the exponent gets
larger, but the value of the number stays the same. Each place
the decimal point moves, the exponent increases by one

• When the decimal point is moved to the right the exponent

gets smaller, but the value of the number stays the same. Each
place the decimal point moves, the exponent decreases by one
 activity
Write the number of significant figures and express in scientific
notation;
1. 23 000 000
2. 0.000 573
3. 5 x
4. 1 000 000
5. 0.000 001
add/subtract in Scientific Notation
Self-Study
• To add/subtract in scientific notation, the
exponents must first be the same.
Example:
Find the sum of 3.0 x 102 and 6.4 x 103
solution
3.0 10  6.4 10
2 3

or 0.30 10 3  6.4 10 3

3.0 10 2  64 10 2
67 10 2 6.7 10 3
• 67.0 x 102 is mathematically correct, but a number in standard scientific
notation can only have one number to the left of the decimal, so the
decimal is moved to the left one place and one is added to the exponent.
 Scientific Notation
• Example 2

• Find the sum of 3.0 x 102 and 6.4 x 106

solution
3.0 10 2  6.4 10 6
3.0 10 2  64000 10 2
?

= 6.4003 x 106

==6400300
6.4 Mm
 Homework
Find the sum of the following
numbers

1. 4.5 x 10-4 + 5.2 x 103 1. = 5.2 x 103

2. 6.1 x 105+ 1.2 x 10-3 2. = 6.1 x 105

3. 4.5 x 104 + 5.2 x 103 3. = 5.02 x 104

4. 6.1 x 10-5+ 1.2 x 10-3 4. = 1.261 x 10-3

9.4-21
 Activity
• Consider a rectangular box with top side open as shown in the
figure. Calculate the surface area of the box.

8m

4m

6m
1.4 Trigonometry

03/03/2022
1.4 Trigonometry

ho  ho 
sin   1
 sin  
h  h

ha
cos   ha 
1
h  cos  
 h

ho  ho 
tan   1
 tan  
ha  ha 
03/03/2022
1.4 Trigonometry

On a sunny day, a tall building casts a

shadow that is 67.2 m long. The angle
between the sun’s rays and the ground is
50°, as shown in the figure. Determine the
height of the building.
1.4 Trigonometry

On a sunny day, a tall building casts a shadow that

is 67.2 m long. The angle between the sun’s rays
and the ground is 50°, as shown in the figure.
Determine the height of the building.

ho
tan  
ha
ho

tan 50 
67.2m
ho tan 50 67.2m  80.0m

 1.4 Trigonometry

A lakefront drops off gradually at an angle q, as figure indicates. For safety reasons, it is
necessary to know how deep the lake is at various distances from the shore. To provide some
information about the depth, a lifeguard rows straight out from the shore a distance of 14 m and
drops a weighted fishing line. By measuring the length of the line, the lifeguard determines the
depth to be 2.25 m. What is the value of q?
1.4 Trigonometry

 ho 
1  2.25m 
 tan   1
 tan   9.13


 ha   14.0m 
 The drawing shows a person looking at a building on which an antenna is
mounted. The horizontal distance between the person’s eyes and the building is
85 m.

In part (a), the person is looking at the base of the antenna, and his line of sight makes an angle of 35°
with the horizontal. In part (b), the person is looking at the top of the antenna, and his line of sight makes
an angle of 38° with the horizontal. How tall is the antenna? (A=6,9m)
 Units

• Physics experiments involve the measurement

of a variety of quantities.

• To communicate the result of a measurement for

a quantity, a unit must be defined.
1.2 Units

SI units
meter (m): unit of length

kilogram (kg): unit of mass

second (s): unit of time

1.2 Units
1.2 Units

The units for length, mass, and time (as

well as a few others), are regarded as
base SI units.

These units are used in combination to

define additional units for other important
physical quantities such as force and
energy.
1.3 The Role of Units in Problem Solving

THE CONVERSION OF UNITS

1 ft = 0.3048 m

1 mi = 1.609 km

1 hp = 746 W

1 litre = 10-3 m3
 Conversion of units
Category 1: Known conversion factors:
1 min = 60 s
1 h = 60 x 60 s = 3 600 s
1 000 ℓ = 1 m3
1 m = 100 cm
1 000 g = 1 kg
1 km = 1 000 m
 Activity

1. The highest waterfall in the world is Angel Falls in

Venezuela, with a total drop of 979 m. Express this drop
in feet. (1 ft = 0.3048 m)

2. Express the speed limit of 65 miles/hour in terms of

meters/second. (1 mi = 1.609 km)
 Activity
Express the speed limit of 65 miles/hour in terms of meters/second.

Use 5280 feet = 1 mile and 3600 seconds = 1 hour and

3.281 feet = 1 meter.

 miles   miles   5280 feet   1 hour  feet

Speed  65  11  65    95
 hour   hour   mile   3600 s  second

 feet   feet   1 meter  meters

Speed  95  1  95   29
 second   second   3.281 feet  second
 Homework Exercise: Unit
conversions
1. 400 ℓ = _______ m3
2. 25 x 104 Gm = _______ m
3. 99 kg = _______ g
4. 120 km/h = ________ m/s
5. 2 weeks = _______ s
6. 33 ng = _________ kg
7. 25 cm3 = _________ m3