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20 votes
20 votes
An angle measuring 60 degrees is measured as 62 degrees. What is the percentage error correct to 3 significant figures?

User Rolon
by
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1 Answer

16 votes
16 votes

Answer:

3.33%

Explanation:

60 = theoretical/actual degree measure

62 = experimental/calculated degree measure

% error = (|actual - calculated|/actual)*100

In words, the absolute value of the actual value minus the calculated value is first calculated. Then, divide the difference by the actual value that you should have obtained. Since you want this converted to a percent, multiply the decimal value of your quotient by 100.

Three significant figures is 3.33 because none of these numbers are leading or trailing zeros. If you count how many numbers (that are not leading or trailing zeros) the value 3.33 has, you'll find 3 significant figures, which is why your final answer should be 3.33%.

User Lasse Edsvik
by
3.4k points
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