Question

How many significant digits are in the number 2370.0?

Answer 1

`2370.0` has four significant digits.

Explanation:

In any number figure, the number of digits in the figure that are important in determining its value are called significant.

Zeros are included only if they contribute to the value of the number. Zeros before the first significant digit, if to the left of decimal point are ignored and similarly zeros to the right of number after decimal point are not included.

For example, in the number `50600`, we have three significant digits. However, had it been `00050600`, first three zeros too would have been ignored and similarly in `50600.00`, last two zeros too are not significant.

Here in `2370.0`, we have four significant digits (i.e. `2370`) as apart from first three digits, `0` in units place is to the left of decimal point.

Answer 2

Five significant digits

Explanation:

The `2`, `3` and `7` are obviously significant, but what about the `0`'s?

The fact that one decimal place is actually specified means that the `0` following the decimal point is intended to convey information. It is therefore significant and any digits between the first significant digit `2` and the last `0` are significant.

So all the digits given are significant, which makes five.

Answer 3

5 significant figures.

Explanation:

There are 5 significant figures.

The reason is that `2370.0` is ten times more accurate than `2370`.

One has to ask where the rounding off happened?

Any number from 2369.5 to 2370.4 would round to 2370.
Tenths have rounded off to units.

However, in the case of `2370.0`, the rounding has taken place from hundredths to tenths.

Anything from 2369.95 to 2370.04....would round to 2370.0, given to the nearest tenth, or 1 decimal place.

If this was as a result of measuring rather than calculating, a length of 2370.0 means that the accuracy is to tenths. In the case of 2370, the accuracy is to tens.