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#1 2008-10-02 12:39:12
- Brian Sura
- Guest
?Subtracting Sig Figs?
Hi,
My chemistry teacher gave me the following problem:
(3.50-3.60)/(3.60) Now 3.50 is a measured number and 3.60 is a defined number. He said to solve and to the correct number of significant figures. Shouldn't it be -.03? He said the correct answer is .028 The largest inexact digit in the subtraction is in the hundredths place, yet his answer yields an answer in the thousandths place.
Is there something I don't understand? What's the correct answer? Thanks....
#2 2008-10-03 01:31:19
- mathsyperson
- Moderator
- Registered: 2005-06-22
- Posts: 4,900
Re: ?Subtracting Sig Figs?
I agree with your answer. The maximum and minimum values for that are:
The range is too large to be able to give 3 decimal places, so -0.03 is the best that you can say.
Why did the vector cross the road?
It wanted to be normal.
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