Question

All non-zero numbers are significant (meaning they count as sig figs). How many significant figures in 123456?

a) 2
b) 3
c) 4
d) 6

Answer 1

The number 123456 has six significant figures, as all non-zero digits in a number are considered significant.

Step-by-step explanation:

The number 123456 has six significant figures. This is because, as per significant figures rules, all non-zero numbers are considered significant. In the given number, each digit from 1 to 6 is non-zero, and thus each one is significant. This means that the total count of significant figures is the same as the total number of digits in the number, which is six. When dealing with significant figures, it's crucial to be aware of zeros, as they can sometimes serve as placekeepers (not significant) or can be significant depending on their positioning within the number. For example, zeros between non-zero digits are significant. However, in this case, since there are no zeros in 123456, we simply count all the non-zero numbers, resulting in six significant figures.