Final answer:
The significant figures for 380 cubic inches and 2600 cubic centimeters are three and two, respectively. These are calculated by counting all non-zero digits and any zeros between them, with trailing zeros only counted if there is a decimal point.
Step-by-step explanation:
The significant figures of a number are the digits that carry meaning contributing to its precision. In this context, we're examining two different engine displacements, one in cubic inches and the other in cubic centimeters, and assessing their significant figures. The first engine displacement is given as 380 cubic inches. This number has three significant figures because the zero in the tens place is considered significant; it's between non-zero digits and contributes to the exactness of the number. The second engine displacement is stated as 2600 cubic centimeters.
Regarding significant figures, all non-zero numbers are considered significant. In the 2600 cubic centimeters value, there are two non-zero digits (2 and 6), but since trailing zeros in a number without a decimal point are not considered significant, the measurement has only two significant figures. Therefore, when comparing the two engine sizes in terms of significant figures, the engine with the displacement of 380 cubic inches has three significant figures, whereas the one with the displacement of 2600 cubic centimeters has two significant figures. If you were to perform calculations involving these engine sizes, you'd need to consider these significant figures to maintain the correct level of precision in your results.