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September 23, 2025, 08:36:05 am
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Author Topic: how many sig figs?  (Read 2695 times)  Share 

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kenhung123

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how many sig figs?
« on: June 06, 2010, 11:34:10 pm »
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How many sig figs should I use in the exam?
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Akirus

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Re: how many sig figs?
« Reply #1 on: June 07, 2010, 12:14:35 am »
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Two or three.
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kenhung123

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Re: how many sig figs?
« Reply #2 on: June 07, 2010, 12:22:52 am »
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Coz the lady at neap was like 2 sig figs and your safe...however is this true..
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m@tty

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Re: how many sig figs?
« Reply #3 on: June 07, 2010, 12:25:49 am »
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Unless it specifies(I have seen a few cases of this) just do two or three. I have heard that anything will be accepted, but don't be a dick and do 15 dp or something... I don't remember anything being specified for general cases.
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2009/2010: Mathematical Methods(non-CAS) ; Business Management | English ; Literature - Physics ; Chemistry - Specialist Mathematics ; MUEP Maths

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crappy

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Re: how many sig figs?
« Reply #4 on: June 07, 2010, 12:28:16 am »
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Physics is pretty lenient when it comes to sig figs, just don't stress too much about them. 
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ElectricalEng@Monash (2nd year)

99.95

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Re: how many sig figs?
« Reply #5 on: June 07, 2010, 06:41:59 pm »
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sorry, but i dont know how to put into sig figs. Can someone please demonstrate.... Thanks
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ks04

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Re: how many sig figs?
« Reply #6 on: June 07, 2010, 06:47:14 pm »
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Quote from: 99.95 on June 07, 2010, 06:41:59 pm
sorry, but i dont know how to put into sig figs. Can someone please demonstrate.... Thanks
215084541J = 2.2x10^8J (2 sig figures)
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cameron_15

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Re: how many sig figs?
« Reply #7 on: June 07, 2010, 06:50:55 pm »
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On there marking criteria it says no marks will be deducted for sig figs. Provided the answer is still comprehensible. Ie don't round excessively and don't go to 15 decimal places.

I just keep everything in my calc and round to 2 decimal places at the end. If the answer is very close to something nice, I will write I whole number answer in the box, but still have the decimal place answer in my workings...
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m@tty

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Re: how many sig figs?
« Reply #8 on: June 07, 2010, 07:39:30 pm »
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Convert to scientific notation, then the number of digits included is the number of significant figures.

. 1 sf.

3sf

4 sf

Whereas something like
has only 3 sf.


So if asked to put the answer to three sf then put it into scientific notation and have only three numbers..

The general rule is to express your answer to the lowest number of significant figures used when multiplication/division has been employed. While when adding/subtracting express the sum to the same number of decimal places as that of the lowest one used from the data.

See here; it's a good guide.

For Physics you don't have to know much about this, but occasionally they ask for a specific number, and in such cases just do what ks04 did.
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Akirus

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Re: how many sig figs?
« Reply #9 on: June 07, 2010, 07:41:40 pm »
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If I recall, they accept +/-1 s.f from what it should be (based on the lowest amount of significant figures in the data provided). In the exam, this will most definitely be 2/3, so using either is fine.
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99.95

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Re: how many sig figs?
« Reply #10 on: June 07, 2010, 07:56:16 pm »
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ks04

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Re: how many sig figs?
« Reply #11 on: June 07, 2010, 08:27:06 pm »
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Stroodle

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Re: how many sig figs?
« Reply #12 on: June 07, 2010, 08:33:12 pm »
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Damn, I love my white out tape.
Was gonna write some definitions on it; all ready to roll out onto the page :)
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