Significant Figures Calculator

Maintain Precision in Your Calculations

In scientific and engineering fields, precision matters. This calculator helps you round any number to a specified number of significant figures ('sig figs'). This ensures your calculations reflect the correct level of precision based on your measurements, which is a fundamental skill in scientific notation and data reporting.

The Rules of Significant Figures Explained

• Non-zero digits are always significant.
• Zeros between non-zero digits are significant (e.g., 101 has 3 sig figs).
• Leading zeros are not significant (e.g., 0.05 has 1 sig fig).
• Trailing zeros are significant only if the number contains a decimal point (e.g., 1.20 has 3 sig figs, but 120 has 2).

How to Use the Calculator

1. Number: Enter the number you wish to round.
2. Significant Figures: Enter the number of significant figures you want to round to.
3. Round: The calculator will display the number rounded to the correct precision.

Real-World Example

You have a measurement of 12,345 and you need to round it to 3 significant figures.

• The calculator will return 12,300. The first three digits (1, 2, 3) are kept, and the rest are rounded. The zeros are not significant in this case.

You have a measurement of 0.08765 and need to round it to 2 significant figures.

• The calculator will return 0.088. The leading zeros are not significant. The first significant digit is 8, the second is 7. The 7 is rounded up to 8 because the next digit (6) is 5 or greater.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

• Why are significant figures important? They communicate the precision of a measurement. If you measure something with a simple ruler, you can't report the result with the same number of decimal places as if you used a high-precision laser. Sig figs prevent you from claiming more precision than you actually have.
• How does rounding work? The calculator looks at the first digit to be dropped. If it is 5 or greater, the last remaining digit is rounded up. If it is less than 5, the last digit remains the same.
• Does the calculator handle scientific notation? Yes, for very large or very small numbers, the result may be displayed in scientific notation (e.g., 1.23e+4) to correctly represent the number of significant figures.