Significant Figures

It was stated in a newspaper that the attendance at the MCG(Melbourne Cricket Ground) for a football match
was 64,000. But a friend who was attending the same match said the crowd was 64,492. The information from
both sources are correct, but it was given to a different degree of accuracy.
64,492 might have been the exact number. When we round off 64,492 to two significant figures, it is 64,000.

The first non-zero digit, reading from left to right in a number, is the first significant figure.
e.g. In 64,492 , 6 is the first significant figure.(sig.fig.) When we round off 64,492 to two sig. figs, that
means in the answer we should have two non zero figures.The third figure(which is 4) is less than 5, so we
drop them to zeros.
Let's round off 64,492 to:
(a) 1 significant figure
which is 60,000
(b) 2 significant figures which is 64,000
(c) 3 significant figures which is 64,500
(d) 4 significant figures which is 64,490
(e) 5 significant figures which is 64,492
The accuracy of the answer will depend on the number of significant figures. The answer will be more
accurate, if it is given to a higher number of significant figures.
64,492 is the most accurate answer and it is given to 5 sig. figs.
***Thetrailingzerosinawholenumberarenotsignificant.Thereareusedtokeeptheotherfiguresintherecorrect
places.
eg.640006and4aresignificantnotthezeros.
***Theleadingzerosinadecimalarenotsignificant.Thereareusedtokeeptheotherfiguresintherecorrectplaces.
eg.0.000054,only5and4aresignificant.
***Thezerosbetweenthefiguresaresignificant.
eg.30.05eachfigureissignificant.Thereare4sig.figs.
***Thelastzeroinadecimalissignificant.
eg.3.20eachfigureissignificant.Thereare
3sig.figs.
eg.0.50,5andlastzeroaresignificant.Thereare
2sigfigs

Examples
Example1:
Let'sroundoff92.810576to:

(a)1significantfigure

9isthefirstnonzerodigit,thatmeans9isthefirst
sig.fig.In92.810576thesecondfigure2whichis
lessthan5,sowerounddownthenumber.
Whenweroundoff92.810576to1sig.fig.is90

(b)3significantfigures

In92.810576,928arethefirstthreedigits,thenext
figure1whichislessthan5,sowerounddownthe
number.
Whenweroundoff92.810576to3sig.figs.is92.8

(c)6significantfigures

In92.8105|76,thefirstsixsignificantnumbersare
92.8105.Thezerosbetweenthefiguresare
significant.thenextfigure7whichismorethan5,
soweroundupthenumber.
Whenweroundoff92.816057to6sig.figs.is
92.8106

Example2:
Let'sroundoff0.0046753to:

(a)1significantfigure

In0.0046753,4isthefirstsig.fig.Theleadingzerosarenot
significant,buttheyareusedtokeepotherfiguresintheir
correctplaces.Intheabovenumberthefiguretotherightof4,is
6whichismorethan5,soweroundupthenumber.
Whenweroundoff0.0046753to1sig.fig.is0.005

(b)2significantfigures

Whenweroundoff0.0046753to2sig.figs.is0.0047

(c)4significantfigures

In0.0046753,4isthefirstsig.fig.Theleadingzerosarenot
significant,buttheyareusedtokeepotherfiguresintheir
correctplaces.Intheabovenumber5isthe4thsignificantfigure.
Thefiguretotherightof5is3whichislessthan5,soweround
downthenumber.
Whenweroundoff0.0046753to4sig.figs.is0.004675