Chemistry: The Molecular Nature of Matter and Change 7th Edition

Published by McGraw-Hill Education
ISBN 10: 007351117X
ISBN 13: 978-0-07351-117-7

Chapter 1 - Problems - Page 37: 1.49

Answer

$\bf\text{Exact numbers}$ are known with complete certainty, and are considered to have $\bf\text{infinite significant figures}$

Work Step by Step

If we multiply $123 * 1,100,000 = 135300000 = 1.4 * 10^8$ our answer would only have two significant figures because $1,100,000$ only has two significant figures. Some numbers are $\bf\text{Exact}$ meaning they have infinite significant figures in calculations. Examples of exact numbers: 1 dozen= 12 12 inches = 1 foot 2.54cm = 1 inch 1m = 1000mm When we do calculations with exact numbers we are only limited by the significant figures in the other numbers in our equation. Ex: $2.54$ is actually $2.5400000000000...$ $3,456,789in*\dfrac{2.54cm}{1in} = 8,780,244cm$
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