How many significant figures does the number 0.000103200 have?

Prepare for the TExES Science 7-12 Test. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions. Each question includes hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

The number 0.000103200 has six significant figures. To determine the number of significant figures in a number, the following rules can be applied:

  1. Leading Zeros: Leading zeros (the zeros prior to the first non-zero digit) are not counted as significant figures. In this case, the leading zeros in 0.0001 are ignored, which means we do not count the three zeros before the '1'.
  1. Non-Zero Digits: All non-zero digits are counted as significant figures. The '1', '3', and '2' in 103200 are all non-zero and contribute fully to the count of significant figures.

  2. Captive Zeros: Any zeros that are between non-zero digits are significant. In this example, since the '0' is between '1' and '3', it counts as significant.

  3. Trailing Zeros: In a decimal number, any zeros that follow a decimal point and non-zero digits are significant. The two trailing zeros after '2' are considered significant because they provide precision to the measurement.

Thus, when counting the significant figures in 0.000103200:

  • The significant digits are '1',
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