UNCERTAINTIES IN

MEASUREMENTS
 COMPARE THE
PRECISION OF
THE FOLLOWING
MEASURING
DEVICES
 SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
• meaningful digits in a measured or calculated
quantity
• when significant figures are counted, the last digit
is understood to be uncertain
 GUIDELINES
a) Any nonzero digit is significant.
• Ex: 12345 has 5 SF; 7.65 has 3 SF
b) Zeros between nonzero digits are significant.
• Ex: 304 has 3 SF; 30, 504 has 5 SF
c) Zeros to the left of the first nonzero digit are not significant.
• Ex: 0.000325 has 3 significant figures; 0.08 has one
significant figure
d) The digit zero is significant if it is the final digit to the right of the
decimal point.
• Ex: 12.340 has 5 significant figures; 0.00380 has 3 significant
figures; 10.030 has 5 significant figures
e) For numbers that do not contain decimal points, the trailing zeros may
or may not be significant. To avoid ambiguity, express the numbers in
scientific notation.
• Ex: 300 can be expressed as 3 x 102 which has 1 significant figure,
3.0 x 102 which has 2 significant figures, or 3.00 x 102 which has 3
significant figures
 EXERCISE: STATE THE NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT
FIGURE/S.

1. 123.560
2. 0.001250
3. 50.005810
4. 0.100089
5. 524000
OPERATIONS INVOLVING
SIGNIFICANT FIGURES
 RULE #1
When multiplying or dividing several
numbers, or when taking roots, the number
of significant figures in the answer should
match the number of significant figures of
the least precisely known number used in
the calculation.
Three significant figures

Answer
should have

3.73 X 5.7 = 21 the lower of

the two, or
two
significant
figures.

Two significant figures

 RULE #2
When adding or subtracting several
numbers, the number of decimal places in
the answer should match the smallest
number of decimal places of any number
used in the calculation.
 18.54 Two decimal places

+ 106.6 One decimal place

= 125.1 Answer should have the

lower of the two, or one
decimal place
 EXERCISE: STATE THE NUMBER OF SIGNIFICANT
FIGURE/S.

1. 123.560
2. 0.001250
3. 50.005810
4. 0.100089
5. 524000
 EXERCISE
1. Compute 3.24 m + 0.532 m to the correct
number of significant figures.
2. A rectangle has a length 3.24 m and width of
0.532 m. to the correct number of significant
figures, what is its area?
EXERCISE