7/9/25, 2:40 AM Significant Figures: Definition, Examples, Rules, Rounding
Parents Educators
Significant Figures
Home » Math Vocabulary » Significant Figures
What Are Significant Figures?
Significant Figures Definition
How to Round Off Significant Figures
Solved Examples
Practice Problems
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are Significant Figures?
Significant figures (or significant digits) are the number of digits in a given value
or a measurement, necessary to decide the accuracy and precision of
measurement.
They are important in scientific or technical measurements.
“Significant” means important. They refer to the reliable digits in the given
number, which are sufficient to convey accurate information. They also help us
round off measurement values or the outcome of a calculation.
Significant Figures Definition
[Link] 1/11
7/9/25, 2:40 AM Significant Figures: Definition, Examples, Rules, Rounding
Significant figures (or significant digits) are the number of digits important to
Parents Educators
determine the accuracy and precision of measurement, such as length, mass, or
volume.
Significant digits in math convey the value of a number with accuracy. They are
considered substantial figures that contribute to the precision of a number.
What Are the Rules for Significant Figures?
Certain rules help us determine the number of significant figures. These rules
are as follows:
[Link] 2/11
7/9/25, 2:40 AM Significant Figures: Definition, Examples, Rules, Rounding
Parents Educators
(1) All non-zero digits are significant.
How many significant figures in 20? Two!
652.1 miles −4 significant figures.
3.4 inches −2 significant figures.
(2) All zeros in between non-zero digits are significant.
23.0041 −6 significant digits.
4005 feet −4 significant digits.
(3) Zeros on the right of a decimal point and before (or to the left of) the first
non-zero digit are not significant. They only represent the position of the
decimal point.
[Link] 3/11
7/9/25, 2:40 AM Significant Figures: Definition, Examples, Rules, Rounding
0.003 − 1 significant digit.
Parents Educators
0.0034 − 2 significant digits
(4) Zeros on the right of a decimal point are significant, provided there is no
non-zero digit after them.
7.00 − 3 significant digits.
(5) Zeros on the right of the last non-zero digit after a decimal point are
significant. So, final zeros or trailing zeros in the decimal part are significant.
0.6500 − 4 significant digits
12.300 − 5 significant digits
(6) In a measurement value, zeros that occur on the right of the last non-zero
digit are significant.
2650 inches −4 significant digits
Let’s take a look at a few examples for better understanding.
Significant figures examples:
[Link] 4/11
7/9/25, 2:40 AM Significant Figures: Definition, Examples, Rules, Rounding
Parents Educators
In summary:
How to Round Off Significant Figures
[Link] 5/11
7/9/25, 2:40 AM Significant Figures: Definition, Examples, Rules, Rounding
To round off significant figures, we have to omit one or more digits from the
Parents Educators
right side of the number until we reach the number of significant digits that we
want to round it off to.
First, we have to look at the digit on the right end of the number (to the right of
the digit we want to round it off to).
If the digit is lower than 5, the number is rounded off to the lower
number.
If the digit is greater than or equal to 5, the number is rounded up to the
higher number.
If there is more than one digit on the left, the number will be rounded off as a
whole and not digit by digit.
Confused? Let’s look at an example!
Example: How many significant figures are there in 0.04582? Four! The four
significant digits are 4, 5, 8, and 2.
Let’s round off this number to three significant digits.
Check the last digit, which is 2.
We will round it to 0.0458 since the last digit, 2, is less than 5.
If we want to round it off further to 2 significant digits, then it will be rounded
up to 0.046 because the last digit, 8, is greater than 5.
Here’s an example of a decimal rounded from 6 significant digits to 1 significant
digit:
[Link] 6/11
7/9/25, 2:40 AM Significant Figures: Definition, Examples, Rules, Rounding
Parents Educators
Multiplication and Division with Significant Figures
When multiplying and dividing significant figures, we follow the given steps.
Identify significant digits of each number.
Find the least number of significant digits in any of the numbers.
Multiply or divide the numbers in the problem as you would normally.
Once you get the product or quotient, round off the number so it does
not have more significant digits than the number with the least significant
digits.
The LEAST number of significant figures in the given numbers determines the
number of significant figures in the answer.
Example: 1.4 × 2 = 2.8
1.4: 2 significant digits and 2: 1 significant digit
Least number of significant digits = 1
So, we round 2.6 to 3 since the last digit 6 > 5.
Addition and Subtraction with Significant Figures
[Link] 7/11
7/9/25, 2:40 AM Significant Figures: Definition, Examples, Rules, Rounding
For each number, check the number of significant figures to the right of
Parents Educators
the decimal point (in the decimal part).
Identify the LEAST number of significant digits.
Add or subtract the numbers in the usual manner.
When you get the final sum or difference, round off the number so that it
does not have more significant digits on the right of the decimal point
than the least number you found earlier.
Example: Add 3.240 inches and 8.12 inches.
Here, 3.240: 3 significant figures in the decimal part
8.12: 2 significant figures in the decimal part
Adding two decimals, we get
3.240 + 8.12 = 11.360, which has 3 significant digits in the decimal part.
So, we round it off to two significant figures to get 11.36.
Fun Facts!
Here are some fun facts about significant figures:
Significant digits are also called “sig figs.”
In earlier times, significant digits were used to refer to the non-zero digits
on the left of the zeros on the right end of a number. For example, 4500
would have two significant digits.
In modern times, significant digits are used for measurements and
accuracy. Rounding errors would often affect the accuracy of
mathematical and scientific calculations. For this reason, there was a need
to develop rules for rounding off numbers and measurements.
[Link] 8/11
7/9/25, 2:40 AM Significant Figures: Definition, Examples, Rules, Rounding
Conclusion Parents Educators
Once you’ve learned the rules, you can easily count the significant figures in a
number. The rules for zeros, decimal points, and rounding off are the most
important. Keep practicing, and you’ll be able to add, subtract, divide and
multiply without a sweat!
Solved Examples
1. How many significant digits are there in the number 0.002?
Solution: There is one significant figure in 0.002. Leading zeros are not
significant.
2. How many significant digits are there in the number 67.30?
Solution: There are four significant figures in 67.30. Final or trailing zeros are
significant.
3. Add these numbers by applying the significant figures rules: 42, 7.8, 6.50,
12.
Solution: 42 + 7.8 + 6.50 + 12 = 68.3
For the given numbers, the least number of significant digits on the right of the
decimal point is 1. So, the sum 68.3 will stay as 68.3 since it has one significant
number after the decimal point.
4. Round off the number 43.8 to two significant digits.
Solution: Looking at the last digit, 8, we can see it is more than 5.
[Link] 9/11
7/9/25, 2:40 AM Significant Figures: Definition, Examples, Rules, Rounding
Given that the number has to be rounded off to two significant digits, it will be
Parents Educators
rounded off to 44.
5. Multiply the numbers 11.6, 8.30, and 22.001.
Solution: Out of the given numbers, the least number of significant numbers is
3. Multiplying the numbers: 11.6 × 8.30 × 22.001 = 2118.25268
To round it off to 3 significant numbers, we have to look at the number right of 3
significant numbers, which is 8.
Since it is greater than 5, the number will be rounded off to 212.
Practice Problems
1 Determine the number of significant figures in the number 23.02.
2 Round off the number 53.46 to three significant digits.
53.5
53.4
53.46
53.0
[Link] 10/11
7/9/25, 2:40 AM Significant Figures: Definition, Examples, Rules, Rounding
SplashLearn Content
Parents Educators
For Parents
30.30
30.3
31
30
4 Divide the numbers 13.7 and 3.2, applying the rules for significant
numbers.
4.3
4.28
3.7
5 How many significant figures are there in 9.000?
[Link] 11/11