three significant figures

It is important to use the correct number of significant numbers when reporting the results of an experiment because they indicate the accuracy of the measurements. Significant numbers in measurement are those that provide fundamental information about uncertainty or accuracy of measurement.

How Many Significant Figures?

3 significant figures

Significant figures are the number of digits in a value, often a measurement, that contribute to the degree of accuracy of the value. We start counting significant figures at the first non-zero digit. Calculate the number of significant figures for an assortment of numbers.

The third significant figure of a number is the digit after the second significant figure. This is true even if the digit is zero, and so on. Hence the third significant figure of 20,499 is 4 and the fourth is 9, as are the third and fourth significant figures of 0.0020499.

Here is what to do: 1) Count the number of significant figures in the decimal portion of each number in the problem. (The digits to the left of the decimal place are not used to determine the number of decimal places in the final answer.) 2) Add or subtract in the normal fashion.

2 significant figures