Question

Express the following sum to appropriate
number of significant figures :
a. 2.3 x 10 mL +4.22 x 104 mL +9.04 x
10 mL + 8.71 x 10 mL;
b. 319.5 9 - 20460 g - 0.0639 g - 45.642 9
- 4.173 g​

Answer 1

Explanation:

a.) $2.3\times 10 mL +4.22\times 104 mL +9.04\times 10 mL + 8.71\times 10 mL$

$=639.38\approx 6.39\times 10^{-2}$

In the exact answer we get 5 significant figures but we want three significant figure in the answer.

b.) 319.5 g - 20460 g - 0.0639 g - 45.642 g- 4.173 g

$=-20,190.3739\approx -2.0190\times 10^{4}$

In the exact answer we get 9 significant figures but we want five significant figure in the answer.