significant digits adding question?

Question

ok so in this chemistry problem

37.2 + 18 = 55.2

wouldnt the answer be just 55, since 18 has the least number of digits after the decimal point?

Answer 1

For this case, the answer should be 55, since the 18 has no decimal places.

In the case of say 37.2 + 18.01, the answer would still be 55.2, since you'll be looking at the least number of digits after the decimal point, like you said.

Answer 2

Significant Digits When Adding

Answer 3

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RE:
significant digits adding question?
ok so in this chemistry problem

37.2 + 18 = 55.2

wouldnt the answer be just 55, since 18 has the least number of digits after the decimal point?

Answer 4

Yes, you are right. Because the 18 is accurate only to the one's place, the .2 should be stripped off the resulting sum. Leaving it would imply a degree of accuracy that is not there.

In other words, your data is accurate only to the one's place, so your result cannot be any better. If instead of 18, the number were given as 18.0, the sum would correctly be 55.2.

If you had a stack of numbers like this, you would properly leave the decimals in place for the summation, then round the result to the nearest one's place.

Answer 5

Yes it would be 55 because 18 does have the least amount of Significant Figures! or Sig Fig's as Mr.D would say!

Answer 6

You are correct. 18 has 2 sig. figs. and Mr. D. would say sig. digs. Take that knet!
But, you would only know that if you were in A.P. Chemistry!

Answer 7

It doesn't matter. Since you're adding, you add everything, even the digits after the decimal point.

Answer 8

55.2