>> Should I use extra SF's while doing my problems and then narrow it down at the end? <<
That's the best way. I try to just let the numbers ride on my calculator, or put them in memory if I need to recall them later. As long as you don't round too much, roundoff error will be low.
I generally follow the same principle for all operations, including addition and subtraction. But you can lose significant figures in a hurry when a subtraction is present, for example
6.789 g = 6.789 g = 7.543333333 g/mL or 8 g/mL rounded to one significant figure.
10.9 mL - 10.0 mL 0.9 mL
That is, 8 ± 1 g/mL, a range that still includes the unrounded answer. Nevertheless, one sig. fig. answers always leave me with a feeling of unease!
Steve
Free Forum Hosting
Important Announcement
Prev Message
