Significant figures are the digits in a number that carry meaningful information about its precision. They include all non-zero digits, any zeros between significant digits, and trailing zeros in the decimal portion. For example, in the number 0.00456, the significant figures are 4, 5, and 6, totaling three significant figures. Understanding significant figures is essential in scientific measurements, as it helps convey the accuracy of the data.
When performing calculations, the result should reflect the precision of the measurements used. For instance, if you multiply 2.5 (two significant figures) by 3.42 (three significant figures), the answer should be rounded to two significant figures, resulting in 8.6. This practice ensures that the final result is not misleading and accurately represents