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Chemistry Forums for Students => High School Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: hardeep on July 07, 2005, 11:19:09 AM

Title: uncertian digits help required :)
Post by: hardeep on July 07, 2005, 11:19:09 AM
Well im taking summer school and I missed 2 days in the beginning. I was doing my homework when I came across a problem I dont know what an uncertian digit is.
So can some one help me with on  of my questions so i can get an example of what to do. :)

I have to express the answer with proper units and only one certain digit.

  21.3 cm
----------- =16.384615
  1.3 cm

ps. some of my other questions ask for "Long Hand" whats that o.O


-hardeep
Title: Re:uncertian digits help required :)
Post by: arnyk on July 07, 2005, 11:28:44 AM
Do you mean significant digits?

When dividing/multiplying express the answer with the number of sig digs the LEAST accurate number in the question had.

So 21.3/1.3 = 16 (the least sig was 1.3 with 2 sig digs so the answer is in 2 sig digs).

To express that in one sig dig it would be 20, which is horribly inaccurate.
Title: Re:uncertian digits help required :)
Post by: hardeep on July 07, 2005, 11:42:09 AM
ahhhh ok thnks a lot :D