What are significant figures?
Understand the Problem
The question is asking for the definition and explanation of significant figures, which are important in the field of mathematics and science for indicating the precision of measured values.
Answer
Significant figures indicate the precision of a measurement and include non-zero digits, zeros between non-zeros, and trailing zeros after a decimal.
Significant figures are digits in a number that contribute to its accuracy, reflecting the precision of a measurement. Non-zero digits, zeros between non-zero digits, and trailing zeros after a decimal point are considered significant.
Answer for screen readers
Significant figures are digits in a number that contribute to its accuracy, reflecting the precision of a measurement. Non-zero digits, zeros between non-zero digits, and trailing zeros after a decimal point are considered significant.
More Information
Understanding significant figures is important for accurately conveying the precision of measured and calculated quantities. This concept is crucial in scientific and engineering fields.
Tips
A common mistake is not counting trailing zeros after the decimal point or considering leading zeros as significant.
Sources
- Significant figures | Definition, Rules, Examples, & Facts - Britannica - britannica.com
- Intro to significant figures (video) - Khan Academy - khanacademy.org
- Significant Figures: Definition, Examples, Rules, Rounding - splashlearn.com
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