<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)">
<style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoPlainText, li.MsoPlainText, div.MsoPlainText
{mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Plain Text Char";
margin:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;}
span.PlainTextChar
{mso-style-name:"Plain Text Char";
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-link:"Plain Text";
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]-->
</head>
<body lang="EN-US" link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style="word-wrap:break-word">
<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoPlainText">I may have mentioned this in lecture and you should have learned this in 1210<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">(or its equivalent) but just in case here's how you should handle sig. fig. in calculations.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">When doing a series of calculations you should keep track of the s.f. in each step but<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">carry extra digits to the next step. How many extra? At least one. I usually use store<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">the number with lots of extra digits (in my calculator's memory registers - which you all<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">know how to use after having your romantic evening with your calculator). In lecture I<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">often carry several extra digits and underline the last significant digit. You’ve seen me<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">do this if you’ve been in lecture.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">On a quiz, you should carry extra digits and round the final answer. Doing this<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">prevents what we call "round-off" error in the final answer.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">For lab, in the sample calculations you determine a number for a step, including extra<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">digits. Then write it with the correct number of s.f. (and units of course). If the number<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">is required in the report or report quiz (presentation of data section, table, etc. ) you<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">record it there with the correct s.f. If you need to use the number in a subsequent<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">calculation you should use the un-rounded number (with the extra digits).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Hopefully this makes sense.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoPlainText">Dr. Zellmer<o:p></o:p></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>