Final answer:
To find area, use the appropriate formula for the shape in question, and ensure units are in square form. Convert units using correct conversion factors and express the final answer to the correct number of significant figures, considering the precision of the given measurements.
Step-by-step explanation:
To find the area of a given shape, you will typically use the formula that is appropriate for that shape. For example, if you are trying to find the area of a rectangle, you would multiply the length by the width. When dealing with circles, the area formula is A = πr², where 'A' represents the area and 'r' is the radius of the circle. It's important to remember that units must be square units, such as square feet (ft²) or square meters (m²).
When converting units, it's essential to use the correct conversion factors. For instance, 1 square foot (ft²) = 9.29 × 10-2 m². Exact numbers like 1 in the 1 m = 100 cm conversion do not affect the determination of significant figures because they are defined by the centi- prefix and are considered exact. When expressing your final answer, pay attention to the significant figures provided in the original measurements.
An example of finding the area while considering significant figures can be demonstrated as follows: If the radius of a circle is 1.2 meters, using π (Pi) to its full calculator extent would provide a non-rounded area of 4.5238934 m². However, since the radius was only given to two significant figures, the area should also be expressed to two significant figures, resulting in 4.5 m².