"...to two significant figures." What's that??

BB248 · Post by **BB248** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 6:04 pm

Can anyone help?

DS was asked 2 Qs, both involving the phrase, "to two significant figures."

Q1. Approximate 623 to two significant figures.

Q2. Work out correct to two significant figures 0.72 x 2.7

I assumed the answer to Q1 was 620 and to Q2 was 1.9 but really don't know. Can any one help?

Many thanks!

BB248

Post by **hermanmunster** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 7:08 pm

found this which would agree with you

http://ostermiller.org/calc/significant_figures.html

BB248 · Post by **BB248** » Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:21 pm

Herman

Thank you! Still find it odd that my 10 year old is expected to know things that sump me. A sign of things to come, I fear....

BB248

Haze · Post by **Haze** » Tue Oct 27, 2009 3:59 pm

Significant figures just means rounded to two "significant" figures.

eg. 3,745 would be 3,700 and 8.25845 would be 8.3