Join in on our 'Guess the Rep' Competition! >>

Chemistry AQA: Significant figures!?

I'm doing chemistry AS level with AQA and was wondering does anyone know how many significant figures I should put my answers to? I looked at the mark scheme and it seems to be quite random. Mostly 3 but it changes with each question I think. Thanks x

Reply 1

iceman_jondoe

keep it to 3sf as a gen rule for any exam or exam board

Reply 2

Tes

RevisionIsSoNotFun

Mostly 3 but it changes with each question I think. Thanks x

I think its always 3sf, within reason. The only two times i can think when its not is in angles (1dp usually) and uncertainitys (1sf usually).

Thankyou

Its only usually three because that is how many they use in the question. My teacher has written letters to AQA for chemistry asking what there policy on this was in general, in response the best thing to do is give it to the least number of significant figures used in the question.

e.g. 10.003 * 3.4 = 34