1. Intro to Physics Units

Operations with Significant Figures

Multiple Choice
What is the area of a sidewalk that is 2.293 m wide and 90 m long? Write your answer with the correct number of significant figures.
Multiple Choice
A particle's position in meters is given by the function $x (t) = 2.0 t^{4} - 3.0 t$ . What is the velocity of the particle at $t = 3.0 s$ ?
Open Question
A 5.4-cm-diameter cylinder has a length of 12.5 cm. What is the cylinder's volume in basic SI units?
Open Question
Perform the following calculations with the correct number of significant figures. (d) 16.5/3.45
Open Question
Perform the following calculations with the correct number of significant figures. (a) 159.31 x 204.6
Open Question
Compute the following numbers, applying the significant figure rules adopted in this textbook. (c) sqrt(33.3)
Open Question
Perform the following calculations with the correct number of significant figures. (c) 7.662 - 7.425
Open Question
Perform the following calculations with the correct number of significant figures. (b) 5.1125 + 0.67 + 3.2
Open Question
With a wooden ruler, you measure the length of a rectangular piece of sheet metal to be 12 mm. With micrometer calipers, you measure the width of the rectangle to be 5.98 mm. Use the correct number of significant figures: What is (a) the area of the rectangle?
Open Question
Multiply 4.079 x 10² m by 0.057 x 10⁻¹ m , taking into account significant figures.
Open Question
For small angles θ, the numerical value of sin θ is approximately the same as the numerical value of tan θ. Find the largest angle for which sine and tangent agree to within two significant figures.
Open Question
An average family of four uses roughly 1200 L (about 300 gallons) of water per day (1L = 1000 cm³). How much depth would a lake lose per year if it covered an area of 60 km² with uniform depth and supplied a local town with a population of 40,000 people? Consider only population uses, and neglect evaporation, rain, creeks and rivers.