I understand all of the sig figs rules but I was wondering if anyone knew why decimals make zeros significant! I am extremely confused please help if you know!
2006-09-09 14:16:56 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
im taking sig figs in chemistry too. at first i thought they were so confusing but now i get them. so i you have like 23.10 then that gives a more precise measurement. instead, if you just put 23.1 then that could range from 23.05-23.14. there is a huge difference between those two range of numbers so that 0 makes the measurement more precise.
2006-09-09 14:59:19 · answer #1 · answered by bmn44 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Simply because zeros ARE significant:
1 then 10 then 100 then 1000 - and so on!
With decimals, .1 is one tenth
.01 is one one hundredth
.001 is one thousandth
.0001 is one ten thousandth
and so on again ........
When the zeros are added to the right of a number, the number gets larger by a factor of ten each time another zero is added.
When zeros are added before a number after the decimal point, the number gets smaller by a factor of ten each time another zero is added.
2006-09-09 14:36:21 · answer #2 · answered by LeAnne 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Decimals make zeros significant because its saying like...you know something is close to 1.50 and that it could be more than 1.5? It shows that u definatly know that it is 1.5 and the 0 is an estimate. Because you always have the estimate thing. Thats probably more confusing.
2006-09-09 14:19:35 · answer #3 · answered by I like Cats 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its like saying I know for sure that the reading is accurate to this certain amt. of a number.
Like, i know this object's weight to a certain tenth of a point. ie. 10.1
If you say the object weighs 10 kgs, there is uncertainty in 10.what
if you say it weights 10.0 kgs, then you know its 10.0what.
2006-09-09 14:32:53 · answer #4 · answered by adklsjfklsdj 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋