Give the correct number of significant figures and units to the problem below. (5.62 cm - 0.45 cm)/ 342 s = A) 1.51 x 10^-2 s^-1 B) 1.5 x 10^-2 cm²/s C) 1.51 x 10^-2 cm/s D) 1.5 s^-1 E) 1.51 x 10^-2 cm²·s

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

First, perform the subtraction:
5.62 cm - 0.45 cm = 5.17 cm

Next, divide by 342 s:
5.17 cm / 342 s = 0.0151 cm/s

The given values (5.62 cm, 0.45 cm, and 342 s) all have two significant figures, so the calculated result should also have two significant figures. Therefore, the answer is either A or C.

However, we should also pay attention to the units. The final answer is a rate (distance per time), so the units should be cm/s. The only answer that has the correct units is C, so the correct choice is:

Answer: C

Give the Correct Number of Significant Figures and Units to the Problem