Question.
How many significant figures should be present in the answer of the following calculations?
(i) $\frac{0.02856 \times 298.15 \times 0.112}{0.5785}$
(ii) $5 \times 5.364$
(iii) $0.0125+0.7864+0.0215$
How many significant figures should be present in the answer of the following calculations?
(i) $\frac{0.02856 \times 298.15 \times 0.112}{0.5785}$
(ii) $5 \times 5.364$
(iii) $0.0125+0.7864+0.0215$
Solution:
(i) $\frac{0.02856 \times 298.15 \times 0.112}{0.5785}$
Least precise number of calculation = 0.112
Number of significant figures in the answer
= Number of significant figures in the least precise number = 3
(ii) $5 \times 5.364$
Least precise number of calculation = 5.364
Number of significant figures in the answer = Number of significant figures in 5.364
= 4
(iii) $0.0125+0.7864+0.0215$
Since the least number of decimal places in each term is four, the number of significant figures in the answer is also 4.
(i) $\frac{0.02856 \times 298.15 \times 0.112}{0.5785}$
Least precise number of calculation = 0.112
Number of significant figures in the answer
= Number of significant figures in the least precise number = 3
(ii) $5 \times 5.364$
Least precise number of calculation = 5.364
Number of significant figures in the answer = Number of significant figures in 5.364
= 4
(iii) $0.0125+0.7864+0.0215$
Since the least number of decimal places in each term is four, the number of significant figures in the answer is also 4.