course Phy121 I had some confusion about this problem. My solution did not match what I believed was yours. I stated this in the query program so my questions are included below.
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13:36:02 Query Principles of Physics and General College Physics: Summarize your solution to Problem 1.19 (1.80 m + 142.5 cm + 5.34 `micro m to appropriate # of significant figures)
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RESPONSE --> I converted each figure into meters: 1.80 m + 1.425 m and .534 m = 3.759 m The correct # of significant figures is 3, so it should be rounded to 3.76m.
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13:42:53 ** 1.80 m has three significant figures (leading zeros don't count, neither to trailing zeros unless there is a decimal point; however zeros which are listed after the decimal point are significant; that's the only way we have of distinguishing, say, 1.80 meter (read to the nearest .01 m, i.e., nearest cm) and 1.000 meter (read to the nearest millimeter). Therefore nothing below .01 m can be distinguished. 142.5 cm is .01425 m, good to within .00001 m. 5.34 * `micro m means 5.34 * 10^-6 m, or .00000534 m, good to within .00000001 m. Then theses are added you get 1.81425534 m; however the 1.80 m is only good to within .01 m so the result is 1.81 m. The rest of the number is meaningless, since the first number itself could be off by as much as .01 m. **
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RESPONSE --> I am confused by your response. I converted the 142.5 cm to 1.425 m, not .01425. Also, more the micrometer figure, 5.34 * 10^5 micro meters, multiplying that by 10^-6, would produce 5.34 x 10^-1, or .534. So I added 1.80+1.425+.534 = 3.759 meters. Am I lost?
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