If a measurement is recorded as 1500 m, how many significant figures does it have?
Practice Questions
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If a measurement is recorded as 1500 m, how many significant figures does it have?
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The number 1500 m has 2 significant figures unless specified otherwise (e.g., with a decimal point). Without a decimal, trailing zeros are not counted.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
1 item
Q
Q: If a measurement is recorded as 1500 m, how many significant figures does it have?
Solution: The number 1500 m has 2 significant figures unless specified otherwise (e.g., with a decimal point). Without a decimal, trailing zeros are not counted.
Steps: 6
Step 1: Identify the number given, which is 1500 m.
Step 2: Understand what significant figures are. They are the digits in a number that contribute to its precision.
Step 3: Look at the digits in 1500. The digits are 1, 5, and the two zeros.
Step 4: Note that trailing zeros (the zeros after the 5) are not counted as significant figures if there is no decimal point.
Step 5: Since there is no decimal point in 1500, only the digits 1 and 5 are significant.
Step 6: Conclude that 1500 m has 2 significant figures.
