When subtracting several quantities, the number of decimal places in the result must always be
A) larger than the number of decimal places in the most accurate of the quantities.
B) equal to the number of decimal places in the most accurate of the quantities.
C) equal to the average number of significant digits in the most and least accurate of the quantities.
D) equal to the number of decimal places in the least accurate of the quantities.
E) smaller than the number of decimal places in the least accurate of the quantities.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When subtracting several quantities, the number of decimal places in the result should be equal to the number of decimal places in the least accurate of the quantities. This is because when we subtract numbers, we need to line up the decimal points, and if we have more decimal places in the result than in the least accurate quantity, we are implying a higher level of accuracy than we actually have. Therefore, we should limit the number of decimal places in the result to match the least accurate quantity.

When Subtracting Several Quantities, the Number of Decimal Places in the Result