I keep getting “Significant figures” questions wrong in Units, Dimensions & Measurement. What's the trap?
keeping more digits in the answer than the least-precise measurement allows.
The usual trap: keeping more digits in the answer than the least-precise measurement allows. How to avoid it: in multiply/divide, the result keeps the least number of significant figures. Go back to the definition — the digits in a measurement that actually carry meaning, reflecting the instrument's precision.
Key point
Significant figures
Common mistake
keeping more digits in the answer than the least-precise measurement allows.
Memory tip
in multiply/divide, the result keeps the least number of significant figures.
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