Laboratory results should only contain the digits necessary for the precision of the determination.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Using more digits than are necessary to calculate and report the results of a laboratory determination has several disadvantages.It is important that the number used contain only the digits necessary for the precision of the determination.Using more digits than necessary is misleading in that it ascribes more accuracy to the determination than is actually the case.There is also the danger of overlooking a decimal point and making an error in judging the magnitude of the answer.Digits in a number that are needed to express the precision of the measurement from which the number is derived are known as significant figures.Use the known accuracy of the method to determine the number of digits that are significant in the answer and,as a general rule,retain one more figure than this.Take the accuracy of the least accurate measurement,or the measurement with the least number of significant figures,as the accuracy of the final result.

Laboratory Results Should Only Contain the Digits Necessary for the Precision