Sig Fig Calculator

Significant Figures or Digits

The number of digits that are meaningful: they have an accuracy matching our measurements, or are simply all we need.

A significant figure is a figure or a digit that contributes to how accurately something can be measured. For example, a standard meter stick with centimeters as the smallest division can be used to accurately measure to a tenth of the smallest unit, which is a millimeter.

There are certain rules which need to be followed to measure the significant figures of a calculated measurement.

Listed below are the basics of the law:

• All non zero digits are significant
• Zeroes between non zero digits are significant
• A trailing zero or final zero in the decimal portion only are significant.

Sig Fig Calculator operators

• Addition ( + ), division ( / or ÷ ), subtraction ( – ), multiplication ( * or × ) and exponent ( ^ )
• Grouping symbols: parentheses ( )
• Functions: log n, ln n

Significant Figures Examples

The numbers in boldface are the significant figures.

• 5 – 1 significant figures (5)
• 600 – 1 significant figures (6)
• 5408 – 4 significant figures (5, 4, 0 and 8)
• 0.0624 – 3 significant figures (6, 2 and 4)
• 50.06 – 4 significant figures (5, 0, 0 and 6)
• 580,000 – 2 significant figures (5 and 8)
• 5.00 – 3 significant figures (5, 0 and 0)

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