Significant Figures Challenge

Understanding Significant Figures

Significant figures are the non-zero digits and any zeroes between them in any given number.
They represent the precision of the number, conveying how much detail is known or measured.
In the number 12345, all the digits are significant.
In the number 101, both 1’s and the 0 are significant.
Zeroes at the ends of numbers are only significant if they come after a decimal point. For example, in 100.0, all the digits including the zero after the decimal are significant.

Non-zero digits are always significant.
Zeros between non-zero digits are always significant.
Leading zeros, or zeros at the beginning of a decimal number, are not significant. They’re only placeholders.
Trailing zeros in a number without a decimal point are not significant. These are also placeholders.
Trailing zeros in a number with a decimal point are significant.

To round a number to ‘n’ significant figures, find the place value of the ‘n’th digit from the left.
If the digit to the right of this is 5 or greater, round up. Otherwise, round down.

When adding or subtracting, the result should have the same amount of decimal places as the number in the equation with the least amount of decimal places.
When multiplying or dividing, the answer should have the same amount of significant figures as in the number with the least significant figures in the equation.

Disregarding leading zeros as significant figures.
Forgetting that trailing zeros are only significant if they follow a decimal point.
Confusion with the number of decimal places and the number of significant figures.
Miscounting when rounding to a specific number of significant figures.