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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 03 May 2010
The reliability of a piece of data is indicated by the number of digits used to represent it. Digits that result from measurement are written so that the last digit only is subject to uncertainty, e.g., four significant figures means that three are known and the last one is uncertain. Zeros within the number are significant, and a zero at the end of a number, if included, is counted as a significant figure.
The following rules apply:
Addition and subtraction: the answer should have the same number of decimal places as the quantity with the fewest number of decimal places.
Multiplication and division: the answer should not contain a greater number of significant figures than the number in the least precise measurement.
Rounding: when rounding, examine the number to the right of the number that is to be the last. Round up if this number is >5, round down if <5. If the last number is equal to 5 then round up if the resulting number is even, if odd then round down. For example, 5.678 becomes 5.68 to 3 significant figures, but 5.673 becomes 5.67. 5.675 becomes 5.68, but 5.665 becomes 5.66.
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