Thursday, September 23, 2010

September 23, 2010: Scientific Notation & S.D. (Brian)

Significant Digits
-Accuracy and precision is very important as well as communicating the accuracy carefully

-Calculators are not smart enough to decide what is and isn't precise

-Non zero digits are always significant

-If the zero is a place keeper its not significant


-Any numbers to the left of the decimal are significant
Example 6.004

-Zeros after another number are significant
Example 4.00

-When adding or subtracting round to the lest precise number
Example 8.1240 - 3.33 = 4.79 

-When multiplying or dividing round to the number with the fewest S.D.s
Example 4.83 x 9.1 = 43.953 = 44

-Constants on your data sheet have infinite S.D.'s

Scientific Notation
-Used to show really big numbers and really small number 










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