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Significant figures

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bec:
Can anyone give me a rundown?

I thought that we were supposed to do all our calculations using an 'extra' sig fig, then round down at the end...but it seems like VCAA doesn't agree (i've done a couple of past exam Qs and i often get them wrong by .1 or .2 because I've rounded at a different place)

So, what's the deal? Are we supposed to do all our calculations with the number of significant figures we want to end up with?

iamdan08:
Your answer has to have the same number of significant figures as your least accurate number i.e the number with the lowest number of sig figs.

You also have to keep the large numbers from your calculations right to the end, and then correct your final answer to the right number of significant figures. (correct me if i'm wrong)  :)

bec:

--- Quote from: iamdan08 on February 23, 2008, 06:17:56 pm ---You also have to keep the large numbers from your calculations right to the end, and then correct your final answer to the right number of significant figures. (correct me if i'm wrong)  :)

--- End quote ---

That's what I thought too - but check out the assesment reports from the vcaa site, they don't always do that...

iamdan08:
Yeah your right, it seems as though every calculation they do they are using the right amount of sig figs. Not doing it at the end which is what i thought you were supposed to do!

Mao:

--- Quote from: iamdan08 on February 23, 2008, 06:31:37 pm ---Yeah your right, it seems as though every calculation they do they are using the right amount of sig figs. Not doing it at the end which is what i thought you were supposed to do!

--- End quote ---
uh really?

I thought otherwise too =\

would they go all harsh taking points off for 0.1 or 0.2 off when we're using the right method??

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