SOLUTION: write down a number that is approximately equal to: a) 130, correct to 2 significant figures b) 2.47, correct to 3 significant figures I had trouble with part b, since it did

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Question 1016887: write down a number that is approximately equal to:
a) 130, correct to 2 significant figures
b) 2.47, correct to 3 significant figures
I had trouble with part b, since it did not end with a 0.
Answer by Theo(13342) (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
130 correct to 2 significant digits is equal to 130.

the significant digits are 13.

the 0 is not significant because it's not clear whether it was intended to be significant or it was due to rounding.

the number could have been 131 and then rounded to 130.

to ensure if it was significant, a decimal point should have been used.

2.47 is 3 significant digits because all the digits are nonzero.

there are several good articles on significant figures.

here's a video by kahn academy.

https://www.khanacademy.org/math/arithmetic/decimals/significant_figures_tutorial/v/significant-figures

here's another reference that might be helpful.

http://www.purplemath.com/modules/rounding2.htm