How many significant figures are there in the answer to the following problem? (8.881 × 2.100)+ 0.590 = ?
A)one
B)two
C)three
D)four

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The multiplication of 8.881 and 2.100 gives us 18.7018. Since the given numbers have 3 and 3 significant figures respectively, the least significant figure can be taken as the product of the two numbers (i.e., 1 significant figure). When we add 0.590 to the result, we get 19.2918. Since the given number has 3 significant figures, our final answer should be rounded off to 19.3, which has four significant figures in total. Therefore, the correct choice is D, which represents four significant figures.

How Many Significant Figures Are There in the Answer to the Following