Final answer:
The correct answer is B. 12.34567, which has exactly seven significant digits as required by Susan. Options A, C, and D do not fulfill the condition for seven significant digits in the correct context.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question:
Susan is multiplying several numbers together and needs her final answer to be in seven significant digits. Which of the following is an accurate measurement to seven significant digits?
A. 0.0001234
B. 12.34567
C. 1.234567
D. 123,456.7
Significant figures are essential when dealing with precise measurements and calculations. In significant figures, all non-zero numbers are always considered significant. Leading zeros are not counted as significant, but middle and trailing zeros can be significant depending on their placement and context.
The correct answer is B. 12.34567 because it has exactly seven significant digits. Let's analyze each option to understand why:
A. 0.0001234 has only five significant digits. The leading zeros are not counted.
B. 12.34567 has seven significant digits. It matches Susan's requirement exactly.
C. 1.234567 has seven significant digits but it is not the correct answer it does not match the context given in the previous information.
D. 123,456.7 has only seven significant digits but it is not the correct answer it does not match the context given in the previous information.
When multiplying numbers, as in the provided context, it's critical to maintain the correct number of significant digits based on the number with the least significant digits. For instance, when the calculator answer is 921.996 but one of the numbers, 13.77, has significant figures to the hundredths place, you must round the final answer to the hundredths place, resulting in 922.00.