Final answer:
The area calculated from the measurements 8.78 m and 2.5 m is 22 m² when rounded to the correct number of significant figures, which is two in this case.
Step-by-step explanation:
To solve the problem 8.78 m × 2.5 m, we need to consider the significant figures of the numbers provided. The first number, 8.78 m, has three significant figures, and the second number, 2.5 m, has two significant figures. When multiplying, the number of significant figures in the final answer should be the same as the number with the least significant figures used in the calculation.
We calculate the area by multiplying the two measurements:
8.78 m × 2.5 m = 21.95 m².
Since the number with the least significant figures (2.5 m) has two significant figures, we round the result to two significant figures, which gives us 22 m².
It is important to note that when dealing with multiplication, the units also multiply, which is why the final answer is in square meters (m²).