How many significant figures are there in the number 1008500?
1 Answer
Explanation:
The first thing to look for when deciding how many significant figures you have in a value is the number of non-zero digits it contains.
Non-zero digits are always significant, so right from the start you know that your number will contain at least as many significant figures as the number of non-zero digits it contains.
In this case, you have
Now, your number also contains two sandwiched zeros. By definition, a sandwiched zero is a zero that follows and is followed by at least one non-zero digit. Sandwiched zeros are always significant.
In your case, you have
#1color(red)(00)8500 -># two sandwiched zeros, significant
Here two zeros follow
Finally, your number also contains two trailing zeros. Trailing zeros are zeros that follow at least one non-zero digit and are not followed by other non-zero digits.
When trailing zeros do not follow the decimal point, they are not significant. In your case, you have
#10085color(purple)(00) -># two trailing zeros, NOT significant
Therefore, you can say that your number has
#1color(red)(00)85color(purple)(00) -> { (3color(white)(a) "non-zero digits, signifcant " color(green)(sqrt())), (color(red)(2)color(white)(a)"sandwiched zeros, significant "color(green)(sqrt())), (color(purple)(2)color(white)(a)"trailing zeros, NOT significant "color(red)(xx)) :}#
