Question about sig figs?

Question

How do I do sig figs for a number squared? like .500^2 = .25, but would I want it as .250? for example, .750^2+.500^2

The .750^2 would be .5625 and .500^2 would be .25, so my final answer only has 2 sig figs?

Answer 1

0.500^2 = 0.250

What if 0.500 was really 0.500(49)

0.500(49)^2 = 0.250(49024)

You only had 3 significant digits in 0.500, so you can't have more than that in your answer.

Answer 2

No, no, no.

0.500^2 is the same as 0.500 x 0.500.  Therefore the answer (0.250) will have THREE significant digits, just like the smallest number of SF, which is three.

When ADDING, you go by the COLUMN with the least significant digit.

0.750^2 = 0.563 (to three sig figs)

0.500^2 = 0.250 (to three sig figs)

-------------------------

...sum = 0.813  (to the thousandths column, since both numbers have a significant digit in the thousandths column)

Answer 3

aigh man sig figs used to get me trully i mean trully pist off however sig figs are simple. YOU FINAL ANSWER HAS THE SAME AMOUNT OF NUMBERS AS YOUR STARTING NUMBER. IF you start with 3 numbers and you end up with 3 numbers like in your 1st example .500^2= .250 notice how you started with .500 which are 3 digits now to make it clear for your other problem 750^2 would equal .563<---- notice only 3 digits and you round the 2 because the number before it its 5 so if it were to be 4 you would not round and if its above 5 well you do i hope this answers your question.

Answer 4

.750 has three significant figures

.500 has three signiicant figures

You are doing .750 x .750 + .500 x .500

Rule: Your answer should be no more accurate than the least accurate number in your beginning calculation.

Since all of those numbers have three significant figures- your answer should have three significant figures.

.750^2 + .500^2 = 0.8125

Round it to three significant figures.

0.8125  would then be 0.813.

By the way, .500^2 = .25

Since .500 has 3 significant figures, you should change .25 so it has .25 signifiacant figures... It would be .250.

.750^2 = .5625. The answer can only have 3 significant figures because .750 has three significant figures. Therefore, the answer would not be .5625, but .563.

If you want to learn even more about sig figs, check out this video. It's 100% accurate and helps a lot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PeVHnjqb...

Good luck.