Final answer:
The student's question concerns calculating with significant figures. When adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing, the final answer must be reported with the correct number of significant figures. The result must be rounded to match the precision of the least precise measurement or significant figure in the data provided.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question is regarding the use of significant figures in mathematical calculations. Significant figures are used to communicate the precision of measurements and calculations. When adding or subtracting numbers, the result should have the same number of decimal places as the least precise measurement. When multiplying or dividing numbers, the result should have the same number of significant figures as the measurement with the least number of significant figures. It is important to consider significant figures when reporting a final answer because calculators do not understand significant figures and will give an answer with more precision than is justified by the data
- Adding significant figures: When adding numbers like 101.2 and 18.702, the result should be rounded to match the precision of the least precise number, which is 101.2. The final answer would be reported to the tenths place.
- Subtracting significant figures: When subtracting numbers like 202.88 and 1.013, the result should be limited to the hundredth place because the number 202.88 has the least precise significant digit in the hundredth place.
- Multiplying significant figures: When you multiply powers of 10, you add the exponents. For instance, if you have 4.506 × 104 and 1.003 × 102, you add the powers together to get the final exponent for the result.