The Student Room Group

Significant figures

Does anyone know to what significant figures physics questions (A-level) want the answers to be given to? I think I heard somewhere that its to the lowest significant figure of the answer? If it is then what if they gave the following:
r=0.50m
mass=0.5kg
Find the density of the sphere.
Answer: 0.9549...
What would be the appropriate one?
(edited 3 years ago)
Original post by Smokestar
Does anyone know to what significant figures physics questions (A-level) want the answers to be given to? I think I heard somewhere that its to the lowest significant figure of the answer? If it is then what if they gave the following:
r=0.50m
mass=0.5kg
Find the density of the sphere.
Answer: 0.9549...
What would be the appropriate one?

Usually if your unsure give your answer to 2/3 sig fig, especially if you see that they've gave a value to that amount of sig fig in the question.

In this I would use 2 sig fig, 0.95 kg/m3

Like, if this helps! :smile:
Reply 2
Thank you. Ive been doing past papers and sometimes my answer is off because of the way they round it and ive been marking myself down which has really been upsetting me.
Original post by Smokestar
Thank you. Ive been doing past papers and sometimes my answer is off because of the way they round it and ive been marking myself down which has really been upsetting me.

I agree, the mark schemes sometimes do it weirdly, just do what I'm doing and we should be good :smile:

Quick Reply

Latest