Significant Figures

[MrDudeMan]

you need to realize what you are saying by using sig figs. you are showing how accurate your answer is. for example, if you say you have 310 dollars, that is 2 sig figs because you could have rounded to get the last placeholder. you could have had between 305 and 314 dollars, but after rounding it is 310. therefore, it shows a general range of answers, which is all sig figs are used for.

.000013 could have been .0000128 or .0000131, but if it is rounded to .000013, you dont know which it was. all you know is that it is in that range. this isnt exactly what you were asking, but i think it is relevant so you know what it is you are actually doing.

 

[hjo3]

Originally posted by: Bigsm00th
you need to realize what you are saying by using sig figs. you are showing how accurate your answer is. for example, if you say you have 310 dollars, that is 2 sig figs because you could have rounded to get the last placeholder. you could have had between 305 and 314 dollars, but after rounding it is 310. therefore, it shows a general range of answers, which is all sig figs are used for.

.000013 could have been .0000128 or .0000131, but if it is rounded to .000013, you dont know which it was. all you know is that it is in that range. this isnt exactly what you were asking, but i think it is relevant so you know what it is you are actually doing.

So if you want to express that you have exactly $310, you'd have to write it as:
3.10 x 10^2

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: hjo3

Originally posted by: Bigsm00th
you need to realize what you are saying by using sig figs. you are showing how accurate your answer is. for example, if you say you have 310 dollars, that is 2 sig figs because you could have rounded to get the last placeholder. you could have had between 305 and 314 dollars, but after rounding it is 310. therefore, it shows a general range of answers, which is all sig figs are used for.

.000013 could have been .0000128 or .0000131, but if it is rounded to .000013, you dont know which it was. all you know is that it is in that range. this isnt exactly what you were asking, but i think it is relevant so you know what it is you are actually doing.

So if you want to express that you have exactly $310, you'd have to write it as:
3.10 x 10^2

Or put a line over the zero, but that's the dumb way. (at least I was told in HS that this was valid)

 

[Xylitol]

Originally posted by: Bigsm00th
you need to realize what you are saying by using sig figs. you are showing how accurate your answer is. for example, if you say you have 310 dollars, that is 2 sig figs because you could have rounded to get the last placeholder. you could have had between 305 and 314 dollars, but after rounding it is 310. therefore, it shows a general range of answers, which is all sig figs are used for.

.000013 could have been .0000128 or .0000131, but if it is rounded to .000013, you dont know which it was. all you know is that it is in that range. this isnt exactly what you were asking, but i think it is relevant so you know what it is you are actually doing.

Ohhh-I sorta get it now
So sig figs are SORTA like rounded numbers?

Edit: SORTA

 

[Xylitol]

Imma pray that you guys are kididn right now
If not ill just read a few more sparknotes and then go to sleep

Edit: NOT Kiddin

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Xylitol
Imma pray that you guys are kididn right now
If not ill just read a few more sparknotes and then go to sleep

Edit: NOT Kiddin

Looks like you need sleep too.

I am not kidding.

 

[hjo3]

Originally posted by: Xylitol
Imma pray that you guys are kididn right now
If not ill just read a few more sparknotes and then go to sleep

Edit: NOT Kiddin

Kidding about what? Seems like everyone's advice is accurate.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Here's a site with a little more info that you may find helpful (just a random google link)

http://www.chem.sc.edu/faculty/morgan/resources/sigfigs/

 

[MrDudeMan]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: hjo3

Originally posted by: Bigsm00th
you need to realize what you are saying by using sig figs. you are showing how accurate your answer is. for example, if you say you have 310 dollars, that is 2 sig figs because you could have rounded to get the last placeholder. you could have had between 305 and 314 dollars, but after rounding it is 310. therefore, it shows a general range of answers, which is all sig figs are used for.

.000013 could have been .0000128 or .0000131, but if it is rounded to .000013, you dont know which it was. all you know is that it is in that range. this isnt exactly what you were asking, but i think it is relevant so you know what it is you are actually doing.

So if you want to express that you have exactly $310, you'd have to write it as:
3.10 x 10^2

Or put a line over the zero, but that's the dumb way. (at least I was told in HS that this was valid)

or put 310.

 

[hjo3]

Originally posted by: Bigsm00th

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: hjo3

Originally posted by: Bigsm00th
you need to realize what you are saying by using sig figs. you are showing how accurate your answer is. for example, if you say you have 310 dollars, that is 2 sig figs because you could have rounded to get the last placeholder. you could have had between 305 and 314 dollars, but after rounding it is 310. therefore, it shows a general range of answers, which is all sig figs are used for.

.000013 could have been .0000128 or .0000131, but if it is rounded to .000013, you dont know which it was. all you know is that it is in that range. this isnt exactly what you were asking, but i think it is relevant so you know what it is you are actually doing.

So if you want to express that you have exactly $310, you'd have to write it as:
3.10 x 10^2

Or put a line over the zero, but that's the dumb way. (at least I was told in HS that this was valid)

or put 310.

Since we're talking about sig figs, that's wrong.

 

[bootymac]

Sig figs:

1. Use Sig-Fig calculator on your graphing calculator
2. Apply even-odd rule since calculator will not do it
3. Done

 

[smack Down]

Just always use scientific notation.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: hjo3

Originally posted by: Bigsm00th

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: hjo3

Originally posted by: Bigsm00th
you need to realize what you are saying by using sig figs. you are showing how accurate your answer is. for example, if you say you have 310 dollars, that is 2 sig figs because you could have rounded to get the last placeholder. you could have had between 305 and 314 dollars, but after rounding it is 310. therefore, it shows a general range of answers, which is all sig figs are used for.

.000013 could have been .0000128 or .0000131, but if it is rounded to .000013, you dont know which it was. all you know is that it is in that range. this isnt exactly what you were asking, but i think it is relevant so you know what it is you are actually doing.

So if you want to express that you have exactly $310, you'd have to write it as:
3.10 x 10^2

Or put a line over the zero, but that's the dumb way. (at least I was told in HS that this was valid)

or put 310.

Since we're talking about sig figs, that's wrong.

He means 310. with emphasis on the decimal point after the zero I think.

 

[hjo3]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: hjo3

Originally posted by: Bigsm00th

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: hjo3

Originally posted by: Bigsm00th
you need to realize what you are saying by using sig figs. you are showing how accurate your answer is. for example, if you say you have 310 dollars, that is 2 sig figs because you could have rounded to get the last placeholder. you could have had between 305 and 314 dollars, but after rounding it is 310. therefore, it shows a general range of answers, which is all sig figs are used for.

.000013 could have been .0000128 or .0000131, but if it is rounded to .000013, you dont know which it was. all you know is that it is in that range. this isnt exactly what you were asking, but i think it is relevant so you know what it is you are actually doing.

So if you want to express that you have exactly $310, you'd have to write it as:
3.10 x 10^2

Or put a line over the zero, but that's the dumb way. (at least I was told in HS that this was valid)

or put 310.

Since we're talking about sig figs, that's wrong.

He means 310. with emphasis on the decimal point after the zero I think.

Ohh, okay. Read it as a period. NM.

 

[MrDudeMan]

Originally posted by: hjo3
Ohh, okay. Read it as a period. NM.

yeah i meant it as a decimal point. sorry for the confusion.

 

[Babbles]

Just to throw a wrench into the mess, there are different ways of handling significant figures espeically if the number "5" is involved, the best bet would have been to study how your physics textbook states it.

Furthemore, man, if you got issues with sig figures, you are going to hate circuits and all of that other "fun" physics stuff!

 

[Tiamat]

put everything in scientific notation. Scientific notation is the easiest to tell how many sig figs there are. When you operate with numbers of differing sig figs, your final result should have the same sig figs as data point with least significance. Your result can never be more precise than the instrument measuring it.

 

[mwtgg]

Originally posted by: Bigsm00th
you need to realize what you are saying by using sig figs. you are showing how accurate your answer is. for example, if you say you have 310 dollars, that is 2 sig figs because you could have rounded to get the last placeholder. you could have had between 305 and 314 dollars, but after rounding it is 310. therefore, it shows a general range of answers, which is all sig figs are used for.

.000013 could have been .0000128 or .0000131, but if it is rounded to .000013, you dont know which it was. all you know is that it is in that range. this isnt exactly what you were asking, but i think it is relevant so you know what it is you are actually doing.

Wouldn't counting money be an exact count therefore there are an "infinite" number of significant figures. I mean, I see what you're trying to explain, but I'm just quibbling with your example.

 

[MrDudeMan]

Originally posted by: mwtgg

Originally posted by: Bigsm00th
you need to realize what you are saying by using sig figs. you are showing how accurate your answer is. for example, if you say you have 310 dollars, that is 2 sig figs because you could have rounded to get the last placeholder. you could have had between 305 and 314 dollars, but after rounding it is 310. therefore, it shows a general range of answers, which is all sig figs are used for.

.000013 could have been .0000128 or .0000131, but if it is rounded to .000013, you dont know which it was. all you know is that it is in that range. this isnt exactly what you were asking, but i think it is relevant so you know what it is you are actually doing.

Wouldn't counting money be an exact count therefore there are an "infinite" number of significant figures. I mean, I see what you're trying to explain, but I'm just quibbling with your example.

i thought of that while i was typing that up, but it helped get the point across i think.

 

[NiKeFiDO]

Originally posted by: ajpa123
I thought this thread was gonna have links to hot chics

http://img130.imageshack.us/img130/3038/nsfw9zj.gif

 

[GML3G0]

Atlantic Pacific

decimal Absent or decimal Present

if it's present, then go to the "pacific" side (left), and all the digits including and to the right of the first non-zero digit are significant.

if it's absent, start on the "atlantic" (right side). Start counting all digits from the first nonzero digit as you work your way left.

ex.: 340 < absent, start on right, first nonzero is 4 and total of 2 digits to the left of the zero

ex2: 204.1 < present. start on left. first nonzero is 2. 4 significant figures.

hope this helps...