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Significant Figure

Key Stage 4

Meaning

Significant Figures are the number of digits representing the accurate value of a number.

About Significant Figures

Significant Figures begin with the digit representing the largest number.
A number may be correct to a given number of significant figures.
The number of significant figures is related to how resolution of a measuring instrument.
When performing a calculation the answer should never be given to more significant figures than the numbers used in the calculation.

Examples

π = 3.14159265359 correct to 12 significant figures.

π = 3.142 correct to 4 significant figures.

The diameter of Earth = 12,742,000m correct to 5 significant figures.

The diameter of Earth = 12,700,000m correct to 3 significant figures.

The diameter of Earth = 10,000,000m correct to 1 significant figures.


References

AQA

Significant figure (maths skill), pages 39, 87, GCSE Physics; Student Book, Collins, AQA
Significant figures (maths), pages 286-7, GCSE Chemistry; Student Book, Collins, AQA
Significant figures, page 14, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy; Physics, CGP, AQA
Significant figures, page 15, GCSE Biology, CGP, AQA
Significant figures, page 15, GCSE Chemistry, CGP, AQA
Significant figures, page 15, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy; Biology, CGP, AQA
Significant figures, page 15, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy; Chemistry, CGP, AQA
Significant figures, page 15, GCSE Physics; The Complete 9-1 Course for AQA, CGP, AQA
Significant figures, page 180, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy 1, Hodder, AQA
Significant figures, page 259, GCSE Physics; Third Edition, Oxford University Press, AQA
Significant figures, page 6, GCSE Biology; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA
Significant figures, page 6, GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA
Significant figures, page 6, GCSE Physics; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA
Significant figures, page 67, GCSE Chemistry, Hodder, AQA
Significant figures, page 7, GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, AQA

Edexcel

Significant figures, page 15, GCSE Biology, CGP, Edexcel
Significant figures, page 15, GCSE Physics, CGP, Edexcel
Significant figures, page 6, GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
Significant figures, page 7, GCSE Biology; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
Significant figures, page 7, GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
Significant figures, page 7, GCSE Physics; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
Significant figures, pages 15, 332, GCSE Chemistry, CGP, Edexcel

OCR

Significant figures (sig. fig.), page 281, Gateway GCSE Biology, Oxford, OCR
Significant figures (sig. Fig.), pages 281-282, Gateway GCSE Physics, Oxford, OCR
Significant figures, page 6, Gateway GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, OCR
Significant figures, page 7, Gateway GCSE Biology; The Revision Guide, CGP, OCR
Significant figures, page 7, Gateway GCSE Chemistry; The Revision Guide, CGP, OCR
Significant figures, page 7, Gateway GCSE Physics; The Revision Guide, CGP, OCR
Significant figures, pages 295-296, Gateway GCSE Chemistry, Oxford, OCR