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Following the rules of significant digits, which of the following is the correct answer for the following calculation: 69.58g÷31.5cm³?

a) 2.2 g/cm³
b) 2.20 g/cm³
c) 2.205 g/cm³
d) 2.210 g/cm³

1 Answer

6 votes

Final answer:

The correct result of the division 69.58g÷31.5cm³, following significant figures rules, should be reported with three significant figures, resulting in 2.21 g/cm³, not 2.205 g/cm³ as option c) suggests.

Step-by-step explanation:

When performing calculations involving significant figures, the result should be rounded to the same number of significant figures as the measurement with the fewest significant figures. In the calculation of 69.58g÷31.5cm³, the value 69.58g has four significant figures, and 31.5cm³ has three significant figures.

Therefore, applying the rules of significant figures to these measurements, the density should be reported with three significant figures, which would be 2.21 g/cm³ (since the raw calculation gives 2.2079365 g/cm³ which is rounded to three significant figures). However, the given option c) 2.205 g/cm³ does not have the correct number of significant figures based on the original measurements and should be 2.21 g/cm³.

User Chris Markle
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