Question

What will be the answer in appropriate significant figures as a result of addition of 3.0223 and 5.041?
A) 80.633
B) 8.0633
C) 8.063
D) 806.33

Answer 1

Significant figures are those digits that matter or influence the measurement and affect the degree of accuracy or precision. The significant rules that complement the addition process are used. The number may be rounded according to the significant figure rules.

Complete Solution :
In the question two numbers are given for the addition process to be carried out and to find the answer in appropriate significant figures.
-But from the significant figure rule for addition states that the answer obtained will reflect the reliability of the least precise operation.
So for the addition and subtraction, we carry out simple addition or subtraction considering the decimals and we will round off the obtained result to the least number of places to the decimal point in the given problem.
-So by carrying out the simple addition we know,
3.0223 + 5.041 = 8.0633
-Here the number 5.041 is only having three decimal places so the obtained answer is round off to the number having the least decimal places i.e. 8.063
So, the correct answer is “Option C”.

Additional Information:
The way of rounding off the obtained results to the least number of places to the decimal point is also applicable for division and subtraction.

Note: The number with least decimal point or can say as the less significant figures decides the number of significant figures in the answers. Caution should be given for the operations involving zeros. Not all the zero will be counted and all zeros will not be included as the significant figures. One should be well-versed with the rules of significant figures.