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Significant Figures Quick Reference Guide

Significant figures (sig figs) are the digits in a number that contribute to its precision, including all non-zero digits, zeros between significant digits, and trailing zeros in a decimal. Rules for identifying sig figs include that non-zero digits are always significant, leading zeros are not, and trailing zeros in whole numbers without a decimal are not significant. Operations with sig figs require the answer to match the number of sig figs or decimal places of the least precise value, and rounding rules dictate how to adjust final answers.

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9 views1 page

Significant Figures Quick Reference Guide

Significant figures (sig figs) are the digits in a number that contribute to its precision, including all non-zero digits, zeros between significant digits, and trailing zeros in a decimal. Rules for identifying sig figs include that non-zero digits are always significant, leading zeros are not, and trailing zeros in whole numbers without a decimal are not significant. Operations with sig figs require the answer to match the number of sig figs or decimal places of the least precise value, and rounding rules dictate how to adjust final answers.

Uploaded by

harsheet.tummala
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as TXT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Significant Figures (Sig Figs) - Quick Reference Notes

1. What Are Significant Figures?


- Significant figures are the digits in a number that carry meaning contributing
to its precision.
- This includes all non-zero digits, zeroes between significant digits, and
trailing zeroes in a decimal.

2. Rules for Identifying Significant Figures:


a. Non-zero digits are ALWAYS significant.
Example: 1234 → 4 sig figs
b. Any zeros between significant digits are significant.
Example: 1002 → 4 sig figs
c. Leading zeros are NOT significant.
Example: 0.0034 → 2 sig figs
d. Trailing zeros in a decimal number ARE significant.
Example: 4.500 → 4 sig figs
e. Trailing zeros in a whole number WITHOUT a decimal point are NOT significant.
Example: 2500 → 2 sig figs
Example: 2500. → 4 sig figs (decimal makes the zeroes significant)

3. Operations with Significant Figures:


a. Multiplication/Division:
- The answer must have the same number of sig figs as the value with the
FEWEST sig figs.
Example: 4.56 (3 sig figs) × 1.4 (2 sig figs) = 6.4 (2 sig figs)

b. Addition/Subtraction:
- The answer must have the same number of decimal places as the value with
the FEWEST decimal places.
Example: 12.11 (2 decimal places) + 0.3 (1 decimal place) = 12.4 (1 decimal
place)

4. Scientific Notation and Sig Figs:


- All digits in the coefficient of a number written in scientific notation are
significant.
Example: 3.00 × 10^2 → 3 sig figs

5. Rounding Rules:
- If the next digit is 5 or greater, round up.
- If the next digit is less than 5, round down.
Example: 3.456 → 3.46 (rounded to 3 sig figs)

Tip: Always round your final answer—not intermediate steps—to avoid rounding
errors.

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