Significant figures

The  exercise appears under the Arithmetic Math Mission and Pre-algebra Math Mission. This exercise introduces the concept of significant figures or digits.

Types of Problems
There is one type of problem in this exercise:


 * 1) Determine the number of significant digits the number has: This problem provides a number, usually a decimal but occasionally an integer. The student is expected to determine how many significant figures the number has and write it in the space provided.Sigfig1.png

Strategies
Knowledge of significant figures or significant digits is necessary to complete this problem.
 * 1) Non-zero digits are always significant.
 * 2) Zeroes between significant digits are always significant.
 * 3) Zeroes to the left of decimal and all other significant digits are not significant.
 * 4) Zeroes to the left of the decimal and to the right of significant digits are not significant unless they are between significant digits (Rule 2).
 * 5) Zeroes to the right of the decimal and all other digits are significant.
 * 6) Zeroes to the right of the decimal and to the left of significant digits are not significant unless they are between significant digits (Rule 2).

Real-life applications

 * 1) Significant figures or digits are used in the science to ensure appropriate degrees of precision when dealing with decimals.