Final answer:
In physics, significant figures are used to represent the precision and accuracy of measurements and calculations. When adding or subtracting numbers, round to the same decimal places as the measurement with the fewest decimal places. When multiplying or dividing numbers, round to the same number of significant figures as the measurement with the fewest significant figures.
Step-by-step explanation:
In physics, significant figures are used to represent the precision and accuracy of measurements and calculations. When adding or subtracting numbers, the result should be rounded to the same number of decimal places as the measurement with the fewest decimal places. For example, 52.13 g + 1.7502 g = 53.88 g, which should be rounded to 53.9 g because the measurement with the fewest decimal places is 1.7502 g.
When multiplying or dividing numbers, the result should be rounded to the same number of significant figures as the measurement with the fewest significant figures. For example, 12 m x 6.41 m = 76.92 m^2, which should be rounded to 77 m^2 because the measurement with the fewest significant figures is 6.41 m.
Similarly, when dividing quantities, the result should be rounded to the same number of significant figures as the measurement with the fewest significant figures. For example, 16.25 g / 5.1442 mL = 3.16 g/mL, which should be rounded to 3.2 g/mL because the measurement with the fewest significant figures is 5.1442 mL.