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Question

The number of significant figures in $\frac{25 \times 0.524}{100.0} = 0.131$ is

The correct answer is
2

Significant Figures in Calculations

This question asks us to determine the number of significant figures for the result of a calculation involving multiplication and division. We need to apply the standard rules for significant figures.

Input Numbers and Significant Figures

First, let's examine the numbers involved in the calculation $\frac{25 \times 0.524}{100.0}$ and identify the number of significant figures in each:

Number Significant Figures Reasoning
$25$ 2 This number has two non-zero digits, both of which are significant.
$0.524$ 3 The zero before the decimal point is not significant. The digits 5, 2, and 4 are significant.
$100.0$ 4 Zeros are significant if they are after the decimal point and are trailing zeros. Here, the trailing zero after '$100.$' is significant.

Multiplication and Division Rules

The rules for significant figures in multiplication and division state that the final answer should be rounded to have the same number of significant figures as the measurement having the fewest significant figures.

  • In our calculation, the numbers have 2 significant figures ($25$), 3 significant figures ($0.524$), and 4 significant figures ($100.0$).
  • The minimum number of significant figures among these input values is 2, which comes from the number $25$.

Resulting Significant Figures

Based on the rule, the result of the calculation $\frac{25 \times 0.524}{100.0}$ must be reported with only 2 significant figures to maintain the appropriate level of precision.

The actual numerical result of the calculation is $0.131$. However, applying the significant figures rule means we must round this result. Since the least precise input had 2 significant figures, our result should also have 2 significant figures. Rounding $0.131$ to two significant figures gives $0.13$.

Therefore, the number of significant figures in the final, correctly reported result of this calculation is 2.

Conclusion on Significant Figures

The number of significant figures determined by the rules for the calculation $\frac{25 \times 0.524}{100.0}$ is 2.

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Important Questions from Numerical Estimation

  1. A straight line is fit to a data set $(\ln x, y)$. This line intercepts the abscissa at $\ln x = 0.1$ and has a slope of $-0.02$. What is the value of $y$ at $x = 5$ from the fit?
  2. 1200 men and 500 women can build a bridge in 2 weeks. 900 men and 250 women will take 3 weeks to build the same bridge. How many men will be needed to build the bridge in one week?

  3. The number of 3-digit numbers such that the digit 1 is never to the immediate right of 2 is

  4. Students applying for hostel rooms are allotted rooms in order of seniority. Students already staying in a room will move if they get a room in their preferred list. Preferences of lower ranked applicants are ignored during allocation.

    Given the data below, which room will Ajit stay in?

    Names

    Student seniority

    Current

    Room preference list

    Amar

    1

    P

    R, S, Q

    Akbar

    2

    None

    R, S

    Anthony

    3

    Q

    P

    Ajit

    4

    S

    Q, P, R

  5. There are 16 teachers who can teach Thermodynamics (TD), 11 who can teach Electrical Sciences (ES), and 5 who can teach both TD and Engineering Mechanics (EM). There are a total of 40 teachers. 6 cannot teach any of the three subjects, i.e. EM, ES or TD. 6 can teach only ES. 4 can teach all three subjects, i.e. EM, ES and TD. 4 can teach ES and TD. How many can teach both ES and EM but not TD?

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