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Significant figures

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zhudiac:

--- Quote from: Duarashid on October 30, 2018, 07:07:48 pm ---Okay! Thankyou!

I just realised that most times the least significant figures it’s usually 1 sig fig I.e. 9 x10^3 or something is the smallest value you use to get your answer. But if your answer is something like: 3.4556 you wouldn’t want to round to 3, it would make more sense to round to 3.5 right? What would you do in this situation?


Mod Edit: Merged posts :)

--- End quote ---


Hi,

In that case, I think it is best that you leave it in 1sf, just like Jamon said in his 'proper' rule- which you should follow just to be safe. Make sure when you're rounding always write theequality sign, and write the number of significant figures so that the marker won't think you did it by chance.

Also, say if you are doing for example double slit questions, and you are using the equation where m = 0, 1, 2, 3... In this case, as the value of 'm' is an integer, it is given to infinite significant figures, and so for rounding go by the next lowest significant figures.

rh45_21:
Yes you will get marked down, if its mentioned, it will cost you a mark. Its a good habit to always check for that in questions so you can correct the answer accordingly.

stella_atarnotes:
I think the way chem and phys works is that out of the entire HSC paper there is one question where there will be a mark allocated for significant figures. They don't tell you which one so it would be hit and miss if you don't always round to the correct significant figures. Make sure you are rounding to the lowest significant figure in the question. I would stick to having at least 2 significant figures in my answers, on the off chance that the lowest is 1 significant figure. They usually don't allocate a significant figure mark for questions where the lowest significant figure is 1.

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