Significant digits - introduction and usage

I explain the basics of significant digits and how to determine how many significant digits or figures a quantity has. Then we look at applications. One is in calculations involving measurements. The final answer is rounded according to the rules of significant digits. Another is measurement conversions. Here, since the conversion factor typically has a lot of significant digits, the measurement itself determines how many sig figures we round the answer to. (In multiplications and divisions, the answer will have as many significant figures as the factor with the least number of significant figures.)

Significant digits - introduction and usage

See also