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Problem[]

Sigfigs

Perform each calculation and express the answers in scientific notation with the correct number of significant figures.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4


Solution[]

Part 1

Line up the decimal places and include the decimal point.

Draw a line to the right of the last significant digit in each number.

Select the line farthest to the left and extend (disregard the other lines). In this problem we pick the line at the tenths place of 23.1 and 2.6. In other words, the least uncertain digit is the tenths digit. So round each number to the nearest tenths. Add or subtract the numbers.


The answer in scientific notation is .

Part 2

Line up the decimal places and include the decimal point.

Draw a line to the right of the last significant digit in each number.

Select the line farthest to the left and extend (disregard the other lines). In this problem we pick the line at the hundreds place of 2500. This is the least uncertain digit. So round each number to the nearest hundred. Add the numbers.

The answer in scientific notation is .

Part 3

The number 237050 has five sig-figs. The number 3.41 has three sig-figs. So round the product to three sig-figs.

The answer in scientific notation is .

Part 4

The number 435.00 has five sig-figs. The number 0.03100 has four sig-figs. So round the product to four sig-figs.

The answer in scientific notation is .

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