MATH 005 Lecture Notes - Scientific Notation, Decimal Mark, Glycerol
Document Summary
Degree of confidence: represented by number of significant figures the numeric value has. Significant figures: contain digits that are known plus one estimated digit, are all considered significant in a measured quantity. A zero is significant when it"s between nonzero digits. A zero is significant at the end of a number that includes a decimal point. A zero is before the first nonzero digit. A zero is at the end of a number without a decimal point. When calculations are performed, extra digits may be represented in the results. Necessary to drop the extra digit, so the answer has the correct number of significant figures. When digits are dropped, the value of the last digit is determined by the process: rounding off numbers. When the first digit after those you want to retain is 4 or less, that digit and all after are dropped.
