Question

How would you write the number of significant figures present in 16,500 km?

Answer 1

There are 3 significant figures.

Explanation:

There are 3 significant figures - the figures shown in red.

`color(red)(16,5)color(blue)(00)`km

The blue zeros are place holders which ensure that the size of the number stays about the same.just not as accurate.

`16,500`km cannot round to `165`km which is quite a common error for rounding to 3 significant figures.

`20,000` km would be 1 significant figure
`17,000`km would be 2 significant figures.
`16,500` km is 3 significant figures.