Ma.
Christine Cabico
BSABE 1-2 and 2-3
ABEN 1110 – Introduction to Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering
Exercise No. 2 – Significant Figures and Standard Form
INTRODUCTION
There is no substitute for a good understanding of numbers and mathematical processes in solving modern agricultural
problems. It is important to understand three characteristics of numbers: precision, accuracy, and uncertainty. Precision
refers to the size of the unit of measure used to obtain the number. The accuracy of number refers to the number of decimal
places obtained in the answer. The greater the number of decimal places, the greater the accuracy. The uncertainty of a
number is the amount it is expected to vary.
Jobs in agriculture use two different types of number: exact and approximate. Exact numbers are those obtained by counting
and ratios. The actual value of an approximate number is uncertain because all measuring devices have a limit to their
precision.
Significant figures are used to determine the number of digits that should be kept in a number after a mathematical
computation. The rules for determining significant digits are different for exact and for approximate numbers.
Standard form or scientific notation is used to express large or small numbers in a more convenient
form. It uses power of 10 to replace the non-significant digits of a large or small number.
OBJECTIVES
1. Define precision, accuracy, and uncertainty when working with numbers.
2. Differentiate exact and approximate numbers.
3. Determine the number of significant figures.
4. Determine a technique for rounding numbers.
5. Describe the uses of standard form.
PROCEDURE:
1. Solve the given problems below showing your detailed computation.
PROBLEMS: (Show your detailed computations)
1. What is the area (sq. ft) of a room if the width is 12 ft 3 in and the length is 22 ft 3/16 in?
2. If a truck weighs 20,045.04 pounds, what is the accuracy of the weight?
3. Round the following numbers to the indicated number of significant figures (sf):
a. 34,674.89 (2sf)
b. 45,653 (3sf)
c. 87,250 (3 sf)
d. 565,875 (5sf)
4. Find the product of: 4.567 x 102 and 2.30 x 104
1.057 x 104 and 5.34 x 106
5. Find the sum of: 4.3 x 104 and 7.89 x 106
1.8 x 103 and 5.19 x 105
8.35 x 106 and 7.89 x 108
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: (Discuss fully the different rules in determining significant digits for exact and for
approximate numbers.
The rules to determine significant figures for approximate numbers are the following: the first issue is the
significance of zeros. A common practice is to consider a zero significant if it is between another number
and a decimal point or to the right of the decimal point. For example, in given 807.0, the total significant
figures are 4 since the zero is in between the 8 and 7. The zero after the decimal point is also considered
for getting the significant figures. Second, a zero is not considered significant if it is to the left of the
decimal point. For example, the given amount is 0.875. In this case, there are just a total of 3 significant
figures since the zero before the decimal point is not considered one. Third, a zero is not considered
significant when it is the last number and there is no decimal point. An exception to this rule is when the
zero is the result of rounding. For example, the amount is 870, in this case there just a total of 2 significant
figures, but if the given is 869.5 and you are rounding the numbers, then it will become 870., notice that
there is a decimal point after the zero since it is a result of rounding. In this case the total sig. fig. are 3.
There are also rules for numbers without decimal point and these are: start counting for significant figures
on the first non-zero digit. Stop counting for significant figures on the lat non-zero digit. Non-zero digits
are always significant. And lastly, zeroes in between two non-zero digits are significant. All other zeroes
are insignificant.
CONCLUSION
In solving agricultural problems, it is important to understand the three characteristics of numbers, these
are the precision ( unit of measure used to obtain in the number), accuracy (decimal places obtained in
the answer), and uncertainty ( amount it is expected to vary). Agricultural problems include the use of
both exact and approximate numbers. Exact numbers are frequently found in ratios and quantities
determined by counting. If you count the horses in a corral and come up with 20, for instance, you jave
precisely 20 horses, not 20 1/2 or 20 3/4. Ratios are accurate integers. One word of caution regarding
ratios; some ratios with decimal expressions contain repeating digits, so, for example, 1/6 = 0.16666,
and this is an approximate numbers. The rules for finding significant digits varies depending on whether
the number is exact or approximate. In solving agricultural problems regarding significant figures,
always consider the rules. Definitely, this activity help students to understand more the numbers and
mathematical processes in solving modern agricultural problems.
RECOMMENDATION
When handling modern agricultural problems it is needed and important to learn the rules of significant
figures. For us students who dreams to become AB Engineers, as we study the lesson thoroughly, the
problems will be easier to solve, meaning our lives will be easier as well.
REFERENCES
https://www.progressivegardening.com/agricultural-engineering-2/exact-and-approximate-numbers.html
https://www.progressivegardening.com/agricultural-engineering-2/significant-figures.html
