Question

Zeros to the left of the first nonzero digit are insignificant (they don't count); they are only placeholders. How many significant figures in 0.052?

a) 1
b) 2
c) 3
d) 4

Answer 1

The number 0.052 has two significant figures, as the leading zeros are merely placeholders for the decimal position and are not counted as significant.

Step-by-step explanation:

When counting significant figures, zeros are given special consideration. In the number 0.052, the leading zeros are not significant because they serve only as placeholders to locate the decimal point. Therefore, there are two significant figures in 0.052--the 5 and the 2.

As general rules for determining significant figures with respect to zeros:

• Zeros appearing before the first nonzero digit in a decimal number are not significant.
• Zeros between significant digits are always significant.
• Trailing zeros in a number containing a decimal point are significant.