Round to 2 significant figures.
0.000231
Answer (2)
When rounding 0.000231 to two significant figures, identify the first two non-zero digits which are 2 and 3, and since the next digit is 1 (less than 5), the number remains as 0.00023. Rounding gives us the final result of oxed{0.00023} . Overall, rounding to significant figures ensures precise communication of numerical values in scientific contexts.
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Identify the first two significant figures: 0.000 23 1.
Look at the next digit to determine rounding: The digit after 3 is 1, which is less than 5.
Round the number: 0.000231 rounded to two significant figures is 0.00023 .
Explanation
Identifying Significant Figures We are asked to round the number 0.000231 to two significant figures. Significant figures are the digits in a number that contribute to its precision. Leading zeros are not significant, so we need to identify the first two non-zero digits.
Determining Rounding Direction In the number 0.000231, the first significant figure is 2 and the second significant figure is 3. The digit after 3 is 1, which is less than 5. Therefore, we round down and keep the second significant figure as 3.
Final Result Rounding 0.000231 to two significant figures gives us 0.00023.
Examples
In scientific measurements, it's often necessary to round numbers to a certain number of significant figures to reflect the precision of the measurement. For example, if you measure the width of a hair as 0.000231 meters using a microscope, but the microscope's precision is only accurate to two significant figures, you would report the width as 0.00023 meters. This ensures that your reported measurement accurately reflects the limitations of your measuring instrument.
